WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Palm Beach Atlantic Sailfish dropped the first game of the Friday double header before salvaging the series with a win in the final game. The Sailfish (22-23, 12-15 SSC) came out on the wrong side of back and forth game to start the day before defeating the Panthers (25-18, 13-11 SSC) with the long ball in game two of the day.
Game 1: Florida Tech 8, Palm Beach Atlantic 7
The Sailfish got a strong performance out of Christian Denton who went 5.2 innings giving up four hits and one earned run. Denton had a career high strikeouts in the game with eight and did not give up a run until the fifth.
After running into trouble in the sixth PBA turned to reliever Orsen Josephina who did not give up a hit and struck out a Panther to end the inning. Josephina would go on to pitch 3.1 innings giving up three runs in the seventh and three runs in the ninth giving up six total runs on six hits. With the loss he fell to 2-2 on the season.
The Sailfish offense outhit the Panthers 11 hits to 10 but could only get seven runs across the plate. Brandon Smith had two hits on the night which included a two run homerun in the seventh while collecting three RBI on the night. Andreas Papageorge followed up Smith's homerun with one of his own for back-to-back home runs. Papageorge ended the game with two knocks under his belt as well. Brandon Seltzer also had two hits in the game one of which was a double. Sean Houck was the final 'Fish with two hits in the game.
Game 2: Palm Beach Atlantic 6, Florida Tech 5
The Sailfish got on the board first when Seltzer hit a tape measure home run over the left field wall that brought in Houck, who had previously singled, to put the 'Fish up 2-0.
The Panthers got the lead back as they added one run in the third, fourth, and fifth to go up 3-2 but the Sailfish would not stay behind for long. In the seventh inning Marcos Perez lead off the inning with a double before Ramon Machado got hit by a pitch then Carlos Lara reached thanks to an error to load the bases. Derek Schwimer brought in a run with a fielder's choice to tie the game and Houck gave PBA the lead with a sacrifice fly to centerfield. Danny Tufariello then hit a two-run home run down the leftfield line to give the Sailfish the 6-3 lead which would be enough to give them the 6-5 win.
Lance Fry started the game going five innings giving up three runs on five hits to get the no decision. Kevin Nunez was awarded his first win of the season to put his record at 1-0 as he pitched two innings giving up four hits and two runs before Smith came in to close the door. Smith pitched two innings giving up only one hit and no runs to pick up his first save on the year.
The Sailfish offense picked up six hits from six different Sailfish which included doubles from Smith and Perez and homeruns from Seltzer and Tufariello.
PBA will return to action on Tuesday April 30 as they host Barry for their final home game off the season. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m.
