The Florida Tech Panthers (10-5) swept a doubleheader in St. Augustine, beating Flagler 7-0 in game one and 4-2 in game two. With the two wins, the Panthers have now won four in a row and improved their record on the road to 5-1.
Cheyenne Nelson had a two-run homer in the first game and Mikayla Lewin hit two in game two, keying the Panthers big night.
Pitcher Samantha Guider started game one for the Panthers and was stellar, throwing a five-hit complete-game shutout. She gave up a leadoff single in the bottom of the first and proceeded to retire the next 15 batters she faced.
She would get all the run support she needed in the top of the first inning. Mikayla Wessel led off with a single and Nelson belted one over the rightfield wall, staking the Panthers to an early 2-0 lead.
The score remained that way until the Panthers blew things open in the top of the sixth. Ella Chang Gibson led off with a single and Peyton Anders ran for her. Lewin would walk and a sacrifice fly by Ashley Campbell moved both runners up 60 feet. After Alex Hendrian was hit to load the bases, Whitney Ellis reached on an error bringing Anders home with the third run.
One out later Nelson would come through again, this time with a two-run single to make it 5-0. It was the third and fourth RBIs of the day for Nelson. With runners at second and third, Chloe French beat out an infield single at first, spring two more, and give the Panthers a 7-0 cushion. They would send nine batters to the plate, scoring five runs in the frame.
Wessel and Nelson finished with two hits each, while French, Gibson, Lewin, and Mya Ogbodiewgu had one hit apiece.
The Saints would threaten in both the sixth and seventh getting runners to third in both innings. With one out in the seventh and runners at the corners, Trinity Fry hit a line drove to Tori Szrom at first, who caught it and tagged the runner trying to get back to first for a game-ending double play.
That gave Guider (5-3) the complete-game shutout. She struck out five and did not walk a batter, throwing 88 pitches in the win.
Madelyn Wise took the loss for Flagler. She threw a complete game, giving up eight hits and three earned runs. She walked three and struck out seven. Throwing 126 pitches.
For more info: Florida Tech @ Flagler Box Score (Game 1)
Lewin was 2-for-3 in game two with her two homers and four RBIs. She came into the day in the midst of a 1-for-14 slump.Wessel and French had the only other two hits in the second game.
Her first home run of the night came in the fourth inning. French led off with a single and would go to second on a sacrifice by Miracle. One out later, Lewin took the first pitch of the at-bat from Rachel Hester deep to left-center and the ball hit the top of the wall and went out, giving the Panthers a 2-0 lead.
Kelsie Rivers (2-2) got the game two start for Florida Tech, allowing two hits in five innings. She walked one and struck out two, throwing 53 pitches (36 strikes). She retired the last eight batters she faced.
Lewin’s second dinger came in the sixth inning. French reached on an error to start the inning. After two outs were recorded, Lewin did it again, bringing pinch-runner Kelly McLaughlin home ahead of her. With that, the Panthers were up 4-0.
Hendrian came in to start the sixth in the circle, striking out two of the three batters she faced in the inning. The Saints finally broke through in the seventh, getting a run on a bases-loaded hit by pitch, and the second on a fielder’s choice by Lucy Geibeig. Hendrian came back to strike out Valerie Beltre, ending the game.
For more info: Florida Tech @ Flagler Box Score (Game 2)
Hendrian allowed two runs and two hits in two innings. She walked two and struck out three, throwing 36 pitches. Two of the four runs Hester gave up for Flagler were earned.
The Panthers return home this Friday to start a three-game series with 13th-ranked Tampa. Friday’s game starts at 6:00 p.m. with Saturday’s doubleheader getting underway at 11:00 a.m.