MELBOURNE, Fla. (February 26, 2011) - The
Rollins baseball team snapped a nine game winning streak as the
Tars dropped a 13-1 decision in game one and fell short 3-2 in
extra innings to the Florida Tech Panthers to drop the weekend
series Saturday at Seminick-Hall Field.
Rollins falls to 9-4 overall and 1-2 in Sunshine State
Conference action, while Florida Tech improves to 10-5 on the
season and 2-1 in SSC play.
In game one, Rollins was kept scoreless through seven innings as
pinch-hitter Brooks McMinn scored the Tars lone run in the eighth.
McMinn pinch hit for Max Pavy and reached on a double to left
center.
All five Rollins pitchers combined gave up a season-high 16
walks. Starting pitcher Mike Herrmann took the loss as the
right-handed hurler gave up six runs on seven hits in 2 2/3 innings
of work.
Florida Tech scored at least one run in the first four innings
of play, but was held scoreless in the fifth by relief pitcher Mike
Howard. The Panthers also scored a pair of runs in the sixth and
four in the eighth all on bases loaded situations.
Steve Betcherman and Zach Persky each got two hits against the
Panthers with Persky notching a double.
Panther's starting pitcher Josh Ziemba was one inning shy of
pitching his first complete game of the season as the south paw
tossed eight innings and gave up four hits and fanned five Tars
batters.
For game two, Rollins was a completely different ball club as
the Tars were quick to get on the board with a run in the third.
Tony Brunetti scored the Tars run on a two-out single by Kevin
Mager. Nick Adams scored Rollins' second run of the game on a RBI
single by Max Pavy.
Thought to have been in the clear, Florida Tech cut the deficit
in half as lead-off batter John Fouchet hit a solo shot over the
left field wall. The Panthers would tie the score in the following
frame on a sacrifice fly by Fouchet allowing R.J. Coffman to cross
the plate to take the game into extra innings.
It would take Florida Tech until the bottom of the ninth to
score the winning run on a one-out double to left by Chris Fox to
drive in K.C. Clabough from first. Reigning Sunshine State
Conference Pitcher of the Week and FIT starter Randall Thompson
picked up his third complete game of the season and the win and is
now 4-0 on the season.
Rollins closer Alex Venegas (0-1), who entered the contest with
no outs and runners on first and second in the eighth, took the
loss for the Tars as he threw 2 1/3 innings and struck out two
Panthers batters. Max Pavy and Tony Brunetti each notched a pair
of hits.
Rollins will be back in action on Thursday, March 3 as the Tars
host the Saint Anselm Hawks at Alfond Stadium at Harper-Shepherd
Field. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m. For live action of the
Tars, check out the Tars Sports Network at RollinsSports.com.
