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Florida Tech Sweeps Lynn to Win Fifth Straight

Header pic: Alex Hendrian – Credit: Florida Tech Athletics

The Florida Tech softball team completed a weekend sweep of the Lynn Fighting Knights, winning both ends of a doubleheader on Saturday by scores of 5-1, and 5-3. This follows Friday’s 4-1 win in the series opener.

Lynn (11-25, 0-18 SSC) stays winless in the conference while Florida Tech improves to 28-15 overall and 11-10 in the conference. They have now won five in a row.

In game one on Saturday, pitcher Alex Hendrian followed Samantha Guider’s example in Friday night’s win, throwing a three-hit complete game.

Hendrian (9-6) did allow a run in the top of the first on a sacrifice fly, but she was stingy after that. 

The Panthers wasted no time getting that run back in the bottom of the inning. Mikayla Wessel extended her hitting streak to eight games with a leadoff double and went to third on an infield hit by Cheyenne Nelson. The two would execute a double steal moments later and Wessel came home to tie the game 1-1. Florida Tech did threaten for more as they loaded the bases but Fighting Knights 3rd baseman Brittney Davis robbed Tori Szrom of at least two RBIs with a nice diving catch of a line drive to end the inning.

The Panthers took the lead in the bottom of the third. Ella Chang Gibson reached on an error with two outs and Szrom followed with a two-run double as Chloe French scored ahead of Gibson. French had singled to start the inning and the Panthers led 3-1.

After a double play helped Hendrian get out of the top of the fourth, Florida Tech added another run in the bottom of the frame on Wessel’s RBI single, scoring Whitney Ellis who singled and stole 2nd to start the inning. That put Tech up 4-1.

Lynn saw two pitchers walk the bases loaded in the bottom of the fifth and Ashley Campbell’s squeeze bunt allowed pinch-runner Peyton Anders to come home just under the tag with the fifth and final run.

Hendrian allowed one run on three hits, walking one and striking out two. She did not allow an extra-base hit, throwing 56 of her 94 pitches for strikes. Wessel finished the game 2-for-4 for the Panthers, who had six hits in game one.

For more info: Lynn @ Florida Tech Box Score (Game 1) 

Samantha Guider, who got the win on Friday, was in the circle for game two on Saturday. Lexi Butler singled to start the game and later scored on a Janelle Dominguez hit, giving Lynn a 1-0 lead.

Tech answered in the bottom of the first when Wessel walked and showed off her wheels with another steal of second. That was followed by a single from Nelson, tying the game 1-1. 

The Panthers would grab the lead in the bottom of the third. Nelson walked and French singled. There were two errors on the play that allowed French to get to third, while Nelson came home. Lewin drew a walk and on the ball four wild pitch, French came home with the Panthers’ third run.

Lynn got single runs in the fourth and fifth to tie the game 3-3. The run on the fifth came against Panthers reliever Kelsie Rivers. She took over for Guider who pitched four innings, allowing two runs on five hits. She walked two and struck out three, throwing 72 pitches (46 strikes).

 The Panthers had the answer again in the bottom of the fifth. Nelson walked and went to third on a double by French. Gibson would chase them home with a single to right field, putting the home team up for good, 5-3.

Hendrian took over for Rivers in the top of the sixth. She worked around a hit and an error and then left two runners on in the seventh when the last out was recorded when Lynn was called for interference.

The two innings of work for Hendrian were good for her fifth save of the season. That is the fifth save for her and breaks the program record for saves in a single season, according to the Florida Tech Sports Information Department.

For more info: Lynn @ Florida Tech Box Score (Game 2) 

Wessel was 0-for-3 with a run scored in game two, bringing her hit streak to an end. French and Gibson had two hits each.

Florida Tech will hit the road for a three-game series at Saint Leo, beginning Friday, April 8  with a 7:00 p.m. game.