Panthers Rally Late to Knock Off Eckerd in Series Opener

MELBOURNE, Fla. - A five-run eighth inning propelled Florida Tech to a 9-5 win over the Eckerd baseball team in their conference series opener on Friday night at Les Hall Field.

The Panthers took an early 4-0 lead with four runs in the third, but the Tritons patiently chipped away to tie the game in the seventh and take a 5-4 lead in the eighth.

However, FIT jumped on Eckerd reliever Joey Favetta early in the bottom of the eighth with a walk and three straight singles, triggering a rally that proved to be the difference.

HOW IT ENDED
Final: Florida Tech 9, Eckerd 5
Records: Eckerd 5-8 (0-4 SSC), Florida Tech 5-10 (1-3 SSC)
WP: Beyer (1-1)  LP: Favetta (0-1)  HR: Conti (1)

KEY MOMENTS

• A pair of walks at the beginning of the third inning turned into four runs for Florida Tech in the only frame in which the Panthers were able to get to Eckerd starter Dillon McCollough.  All four runs came with two outs after FIT strung together three straight RBI hits.
• Eckerd got on the board in the top of the fourth on an RBI single by Keith Leavitt, Jr. after Chase Achuff singles and Mitch Calandra reached on an error.
• Nick Conti gave the Tritons another run in the fifth via a solo home run, his first of the season.
• While McCollough continued to cruise, Eckerd tied the game in the seventh on RBI singles by Sam Cochrane and Achuff with two outs.  The Tritons had four hits in the inning but did have two runners cut down at home plate.
• Eckerd took its first lead of the evening in the top of the eighth. Calandra ripped a double to right field, then advanced to third on a wild pitch. With one out, Garrett Hiott brought him in with a sacrifice fly.
• The Panthers quickly erased EC's lead with five runs in the bottom of the eighth after the first five batters of the inning reached base.  A two-run single by Daniel Szpik gave FIT a 7-5 lead, and two more insurance runs scored later in the inning on a bases-loaded hit batter and a bases-loaded walk.
• Andrew Beyer struck out the side in the top of the ninth on 16 pitches to finish the game.

NOTES AND NUMBERS

• McCollough received a no-decision in a brilliant outing, allowing just three hits while striking out a career-high 12 batters.
• Cochrane's RBI single in the seventh extended his hitting streak to 12 games.
• Achuff went 3-for-4 for his fourth multi-hit game of the season and third game to record at least three hits.

UP NEXT
The SSC series concludes on Saturday with a double-header beginning at noon.