WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The Palm Beach Atlantic baseball team faced off against the Florida Tech Panthers for a doubleheader this afternoon. It was PBA's final home games of the season and senior day where they honored eleven graduating players. The Sailfish fell in a 14 inning marathon 7-6 in game one and then fell 5-2 in the shortened game two of the doubleheader.

Game 1: PBA 6, Florida Tech 7 (14 Innings)

The Sailfish handed the ball to senior Matt Leslie who was making his final home appearance of his career. The Sailfish bats gave their senior hurler a 1-0 lead in the first as Brandon Seltzer drove in leadoff man Landen Morrison with a single. After escaping trouble in the first inning unharmed, Leslie was unable to do the same in the second as the Panthers plated three runs in the inning. Raul Quintero took a two-out Leslie pitch out to left field to erase the Sailfish early lead. 

Both starting pitchers settled in through five innings, but it was the Sailfish who broke through next. Designated hitter Trent Alley ripped a line drive out to left field for a solo homer to cut the Panther lead to 3-2 in the sixth. One inning later, Sean Houck led off the inning getting hit by a pitch and he would later score on a wild pitch to tie the game. Matt Leslie would exit with a final line of 5.2 innings, scattering seven hits, surrendering three runs, and striking out seven.

Joey Hennessey was the first man out of the pen for the Sailfish and he was solid through his first two innings, but he was removed when he allowed the first batter to single in the ninth. Justin Lovell was unable to strand the inherited runner as the Panthers claimed the 4-3 lead in the ninth inning. Fortunately for the Sailfish, Alley led off the home half of the ninth and deposited a mammoth homer to left-center field off the top of the scoreboard to tie the game. 

Both offenses would go quiet for four innings as Jake Sciarrotta and Christian Denton were dominant as they each went two innings. Ryan Webster, who has been reliable all year for the 'Fish, entered the game in the 14th inning. After two quick outs, a single and an infield single were brought home on a three-run home run by Alec Eldridge. Trailing 7-4, the Sailfish made it interesting late as Alley hit his third home run of the game with two outs to cut the deficit to just one run, but the Panthers held on to the 7-6 win.

Alley was the primary source of offense for the 'Fish with his three homers, four RBI's, and three runs scored. PBA was outhit 13-11 in the game as Brandon Seltzer and Sean Houck each added two-hit games for PBA.

Game 2: PBA 2, Florida Tech 5 (7 Innings)

Christian Horner got the call to start game two for the Sailfish and he looked impressive early on as he cruised through three innings. After Florida Tech's starter was removed after three batters due to injury, the Panthers turned to Brian Lopes who saw his first action on the mound of his career. The Sailfish loaded the bases against the sophomore in the second innings with no outs and they brought home two runs on a Carlos Lara fielder's choice and a Landen Morrison sacrifice fly. 

Lopes settled in for the rest of the game, dancing in and out of trouble, and shutting out the Sailfish the rest of the way. The Sailfish failed to take advantage of chances with men in scoring position as they stranded 11 base runners. The Panther's offense got to Horner in the fourth as they hit back-to-back one-out doubles followed by a single to tie the game. Brad VanAsdlen entered out of the bullpen with two men aboard and was unable to get out of the jam as three runners would score on an infield single and a throwing error on a swinging bunt by VanAsdlen.

Two of the runs were charged to Horner as he finished going 3.2 innings with four runs allowed, two earned, while VanAsdlen gave up the one unearned run in his 1.1 innings of relief. The Sailfish offense threatened, getting multiple men aboard in multiple innings but just failed to breakthrough. Andrew Sieczkowski was great out of the bullpen for the Sailfish late, going two innings and striking out four batters, including getting out of a bases-loaded jam with no outs unharmed. 

Each side had six hits and two errors, but the Sailfish just couldn't get the timely hit. Landen Morrison was the best Sailfish bat in the game going 2-for-2 at the dish with a walk and an RBI.

The Sailfish have dropped their last three against the Panthers, all in close contests, but the Sailfish still have an opportunity to get back at the Panthers as the two sides are slated to play two games on Thursday in Melbourne to close out the season.