Header pic: Dylan Dohanos – Credit: Florida Tech Athletics
The Florida Tech Panthers earned their second win of the season over the Flagler Saints on Tuesday, winning a 10-7 game in St. Augustine. This was the second win of the season over Flagler, as the Panthers won in walk-off fashion back on February 15 in Melbourne.
This was a back-and-forth game much of the way, as the teams combined for 17 runs and 27 hits. Dylan Dohanos had a 5-for-6 night at the plate, driving in four runs and extending his hitting streak to 10 games. Jakob Newton and Alec Eldridge had two hits each. Flagler’s Myles Colangelo went 3-for-5 with three RBIs and three runs scored. He hit two home runs.
The Panthers (25-9) got a run in the top of the first when Dohanos doubled against Flagler starter Nick Phifer and Paul Castillo singled him in. Colangelo’s first home run of the night tied things up in the bottom of the first against Panthers starter Aiden Pryzgoda.
Florida Tech got two runs in the second. Jack Nagy was hit by a pitch and Sam Schner singled him home. Dohanos’ infield single scored Diego Garcia to make it 3-1.
Flagler (16-14) took the lead in the bottom of the third, scoring three runs, and taking a 4-3 lead. Anthony Nofi was on the mound for Flagler in the top of the fourth and gave up a double to Garcia, who came home on a Dohanos single to tie the game.
Pryzgoda allowed two runners to reach in the bottom of the fourth, giving way to Daniel Vassallo. He got a flyout and a strikeout to get the Panthers out of the inning. Pryzgoda pitched 3 ⅓ innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits. He walked one and struck out one, throwing 65 pitches.
Florida Tech scored three times in the fifth, with Flagler giving them plenty of help. An error, a hit by pitch, and a fielder’s choice got a run home to make it 5-4. Another single by Dohanos brought home two and put the Panthers up 7-4.
Colangelo struck again in the bottom of the fifth as his two-run jack made it 7-6.
Vassallo (4-1) gave way to Jason Englert in the bottom of the seventh after throwing 2 ⅓ innings, giving up two runs on three hits. He walked one and struck out three, throwing 46 pitches, and was credited with the win.
The Panthers put the game away in the top of the eighth, scoring three more times. Newton singled and scored later in the inning on an Eldridge double to make it 8-6. Nagy’s two-run triple made it 10-6. The triple by Nagy was the 21st three-bagger of the season, setting a new program record.
Englert threw nine pitches in his one inning of work and gave way to Andres Rodriguez in the bottom of the eighth. Flagler got a run off of him in the inning on a fielder’s choice to cut the Saints’ deficit to 10-7.
Panthers coach Jeff Tam decided to go to his closer Alex Carpenter in the bottom of the ninth and he gave up just one hit before nailing down his sixth save of the season.
For more info: Florida Tech @ Flagler Box Score
Florida Tech goes back into Sunshine State Conference play this weekend when they travel to Boca Raton to take on the Lynn Fighting Knights. The series gets underway Friday at 3:00 p.m.