MELBOURNE, Fla. - The Eckerd softball team's season came to an end on Friday, closing the spring with a 5-0 loss at No. 5 Florida Tech as the Panthers clinched their first-ever Sunshine State Conference Championship.
Nikole Van Gennep wrapped up her Eckerd career setting a new record with her first pitch of the game making her 143th pitching appearance.
Unfortunately for the senior, the Panthers broke through in the fifth inning to stop the shutout bid while the Eckerd offense couldn't break through against FIT's Melanie Murphy.
HOW IT ENDED
Final: #5 Florida Tech 5, Eckerd 0
WP: Murphy (22-5)Â Â
LP: Van Gennep (11-19)
Records: Eckerd 18-30 (10-20 SSC); Florida Tech 39-10 (23-7 SSC)
KEY MOMENTS
- As they did in yesterday's doubleheader, the Panthers threatened early in the game loading the bases in the second and third innings. Van Gennep managed to work out of both jams, getting a fly out in the second and pair of pop-ups in the third.
- The Tritons' best chance came in the top of the fourth after Ally Costa led off the inning with a double and Skylar Redish followed with a single. Â Kaylin Kramer hit a fly ball to shallow right field that was snagged by Vanessa Rubio who then cut down Costa at the plate attempting to tag from third.
- After stranding two more in the fourth, Florida Tech finally broke through in the fifth. Rubio led off the inning with a double and came home one batter later on Shanysse Emerenciana's single.
- FIT tacked on four more runs in the sixth.
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- As Van Gennep's career came to an end, she leaves Eckerd with her name etched throughout the program's record books. Â Among some of her rankings, she is first in games pitched, innings pitched, and wins; second in strikeouts and doubles; fourth in hits; and fifth in homeruns and RBIs.
- Redish closed the season hitting .343 over her last 12 games.
- Van Gennep finished the year with 12 homeruns, one short of tying the program's single-season record.
- The Tritons won seven of their last 11 games of the season.
