WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Palm Beach Atlantic baseball dropped the opening game of a three-game set with Florida Tech on Thursday, as they fell by a 6-4 final. PBA falls below .500 with the loss as they now sit 21-22. FIT improves to 24-17 on the season with the victory.
PBA got off to a good start in the bottom of the first as Danny Tufariello and Brandon Smith both singled home runs to put the 'Fish on top 2-0. FIT answered back with four runs in the top of the second as Sailfish starter Mitchell Carroll ran into some rare command issues.
PBA got one back in the third as Derek Schwimer picked up his second hit in as many innings with two outs that drove in a run. The game remained 4-3 until the top of the fifth when the Panthers added two runs to pull out to a 6-3 lead.
The game remained 6-3 until the bottom of the ninth, when Brandon Seltzer doubled home a run off Panther closer Ryan Allain. The Sailfish got the tying run to the plate in the ninth but a strikeout ended the threat and the game as Allain picked up his 10th save of the year.
Schwimer finished the game 3-for-4 and walked on the night, as Danny Tufariello added two hits for the 'Fish, who out-hit FIT 10-8 in the game.
Heath Hawkins pitched 4.1 scoreless innings out of the bullpen, striking out five and allowing just one hit on the night.
The Sailfish and Panthers will close out their series with a doubleheader tomorrow which will begin at noon at J.M. "Jake" Rubin Park.
