MELBOURNE, Fla. -- Fifth-ranked Florida Tech opened Sunshine State Conference play Friday night when they commenced a three-game series against No. 6 Nova Southeastern. Extra innings were needed to determine a winner and the Sharks came out on top 5-2 in 11 innings.
After no team scored in the first four innings, the Panthers were first on the board in the bottom of the fifth. Junior Kevin Wortman was able to score the first run of the game on a wild pitch.
The Panthers (12-3, 0-1 SSC) held their 1-0 lead until the eighth inning when Nova was able to take the advantage. Ryan Woodrey tied the game with a base hit up the middle that scored Alex Fernandez. The Sharks (13-1, 1-0 SSC) grabbed the lead when Mario Urdaneta was walked with the bases loaded, and Angel Navarro came around to score.
Down 2-1, the Panthers came back to tie the game in the bottom half of the eighth. Once again a walk brought in a run, as freshman Grant McKown received the pass and senior Brock Bontrager scored.
The Panthers had the bases loaded in the ninth, but could not bring home the winning run and the game went into extra innings. Neither team scored a run in the 10th inning, but the Sharks broke through in the top of the 11th. With two runners on, Navarro cleared the bases with a double down the left field line. Both runners scored and the Sharks took the lead Nova plated one more run in the inning and earned the 5-2 victory.
Junior Jerrod Leinhauser (1-2) suffered the loss for the Panthers. Junior Ashton Fronsoe started the game for the Panthers and went 7.1 innings and gave up two earned runs.
Josh Glick (1-0) earned the win for the Sharks.
