Panthers Capture 5-0 Win Over #26 VSU in Rain Shortened Game

First baseman Michael Demma gets the out against #26 VSU Tuesday in a 5-0 win. Photo by Richard Flutie.

MELBOURNE, Fla. (Baseball) – Fortunately for the Panthers, Florida Tech and #26 Valdosta State were able to get four and a half innings in before the downpour occurred Tuesday so the Panthers’ 5-0 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth counts as win number one for the 2010 season. Tech has now claimed a season-opening win each of the last seven seasons.

It was a relatively quiet start to the game with just a pair of walks through the first frame then Ryan McChesney was left on in the second after getting hit by a pitch. Finally, the Panther bats went to work in the bottom of the third.

James Mannara got the inning started with a double down the right field line, later advancing to third on a failed pick off attempt by VSU catcher Josh Vining. John Fouchet then singled in Mannara to give Tech the 1-0 advantage. Tony Moos and Chris Fox also singled, loading the bags for Gus Fernandez in the three-hole with no outs.

Fernandez took a 3-1 count and sent one sailing into center for a sacrifice fly that scored Fouchet. After one more out, JD Davidson knocked in Moos for a 3-0 lead and McChesney followed that up with a two-out double to right-center that sent Fox and Davidson home to wrap up scoring for the inning.

Valdosta finally registered its first hit of the game in the fourth when Austin Smith blasted a two-out single through the left side which advanced Brandon Decker to second who was hit by a pitch. However, the Blazer rally would stop there as Bobby Triglia took first on a fielder’s choice and Smith was tagged out at second.

Neither team could do much of anything in their next at bats and Fox had just warmed up to bat in the bottom of the fifth when the heavens opened. In addition to Tech’s five runs on six hits, junior lefty Jonathan Cornelius issued four strikeouts over five innings pitched with one hit and a walk.

Next up for the Panthers is a weekend series against Belmont Abbey. The two teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 6, starting at noon, followed by a single game on Sunday, also at noon.