MELBOURNE, Fla. – Palm Beach Atlantic softball split a doubleheader with No. 10 Florida Tech on Saturday, as the 'Fish used a three-run seventh to win the opener 3-2 and dropped the finale by the same score. PBA is now 22-17 overall and 10-8 in Sunshine State Conference play while FIT sits at 28-9 overall and 12-6 in league play.
Game 1: PBA 3, No. 10 Florida Tech 2
Abbey Busby and Jordan Lawlis were both dominant in the circle in the opening game of the day, as neither pitcher allowed a hit through three innings. Janie McCloskey picked up the game's first hit in the fourth inning, and the game went into the seventh inning scoreless.
McCloskey led off the top of the seventh by hitting a solo homer to give the 'Fish a 1-0 lead. It was McCloskey's fifth home run of the season as the freshman homered in three games in a row. The 'Fish got a couple more baserunners on with two outs in the inning before Alexis Guerra picked up her second hit of the game, which drove in two runs and gave the 'Fish a 3-0 lead.
The Sailfish made a couple of defensive mistakes in the bottom half of the inning that allowed two unearned runs to cross for the Panthers, but Busby came up with a big strikeout to end the game and pick up her 17th victory of the season.
The Sailfish picked up five hits in the game as McCloskey and Guerra led the way with two hits each.
Game 2: No. 10 Florida Tech 3, PBA 2
Florida Tech got on the scoreboard first in the series finale, as they plated a run in the first inning off Busby.
Magnolia West opened up the fourth inning by tripling off the right-field fence, and came around to score on an errant throw by the FIT catcher, and Guerra scored the go-ahead run for the 'Fish on a perfectly executed squeeze bunt by Maddie Biggs.
Some wildness by Sailfish pitching loaded the bases for FIT in the fourth, and a Sailfish error allowed the Panthers to tie the game at two. With two outs in the inning, Nelson singled to center and West appeared to throw out the go-ahead run at home, but an obstruction call from the umpire allowed the run to count for FIT.
Kaley Hinds, Guerra, and Maddie Bertisch singled in the final three innings of the game, but the 'Fish were unable to come up with a big hit and fell by the 3-2 final.
Busby pitched 16.2 innings in the three-game set while allowing just one earned run against the Panthers.
PBA will return to action on Friday, April 5 as they will face off with Embry-Riddle University at 7 p.m. in Daytona Beach, Fla.
