Panthers Upend Spartans After Four-Run Eighth

MELBOURNE, Fla. - The No. 2 University of Tampa baseball team fell to Florida Tech by a 6-5 score in its Sunshine State Conference opener.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final: No. 2 Tampa Spartans 6, Florida Tech Panthers 5
Records: Tampa (8-3, 0-1 SSC), Florida Tech (4-5, 1-0 SSC)
Location: UT Baseball Field | Tampa, Fl.
All-time Series: Tampa continues to hold the lead in the all-time series, 117-33.
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HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Panthers struck for a run in the bottom of the second.
• UT took a 2-1 lead on a two-run Danny Sirven single in the top of the third inning.
• Danny Blair slugged an RBI double in the fourth to make it 3-1 Spartans.
• After the Panthers cut the Spartans lead to 3-2 in the fourth, UT's Mikey Navarette made it 4-2 with an RBI single in the sixth inning.
• FIT seized the momentum with a four-run eighth that included a pair of UT errors and a run-scoring wild pitch.
• Trailing 6-4, UT cut the deficit to 6-5 on a run-scoring single by Nick Derr in the ninth.

INSIDE THE STATS: 

• Sirven had a pair of hits and also drove in two runs.
• Keven Pimentel started and did not receive a decision as he went 6.0 innings, allowing five hits and two earned runs. He would also strike out eight Panthers.
• Tyler Beck took the loss, though just one of his four runs was earned in 2.0 innings of work.

OUTSIDE THE BOX:

• 2017 was the last time Tampa started SSC play at 0-1. They would finish 20-4 as the SSC championships that season.
• Head coach Joe Urso now stands at 794 career wins as the all-time winningest coach in UT history is approaching another milestone.

UP NEXT:
The same two teams are back in action for a Saturday doubleheader that starts at 1 p.m.

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