Box Score
LAKELAND â€" Chelsea Oglevie pitched a magnificent game Friday night to put Florida Southern in position for a win over Florida Tech, and when the Panthers put together a couple of dangerous scoring threats in the late innings, catcher Jordan Alexander snuffed them out. Cassie Haynes came up big on two occasions too, and Gianni Artidiello continued her hot hitting as well. But it was a somewhat flukish play in the top of the ninth inning that allowed the Panthers to score the winning run and come away with a 2-1 victory over the Moccasins.
Oglevie went all nine innings for Florida Southern (12-22, 4-9 Sunshine State Conference), giving up seven hits, striking out five and walking three. Both of the runs against her were unearned as Florida Tech (23-16, 10-6) used an error in sixth inning to score one run, and an error in the ninth to score another.
Defensively though, the Moccasins still made their share of plays. Alexander threw out two runners attempting to steal, including the Panthers’ leadoff hitter in the top of the eighth inning. Haynes, who was starting in left field for the Moccasins, threw a runner out at second base in the third inning, and shortstop Christie Bailey went to the ground in the fourth inning to take a hit away from Taylor Peterson.
Haynes was also instrumental in Florida Southern’s only run of the night. The sophomore from Allen Park, Michigan drew a 2-out walk in the bottom of the fifth, bringing the Mocs’ hottest hitter, Artidiello, to the plate. The junior third baseman delivered a run-scoring double that drove in Haynes and gave the Mocs a 1-0 lead.
That same combination had nearly connected for another run in the bottom of the third. Haynes was asked to bunt Khaliah Brown into scoring position after the Moccasin center fielder had reached on a 1-out single in front of her. Haynes did even better, putting down the sacrifice and reaching safely when the Panthers tried and failed to get the lead runner at second. Artidiello then hit the ball hard but right at Peterson, and the Panther third baseman was able to double up Brown trying to get back to second.
With the Moccasins leading 1-0 after five innings, Elaine Brown started the top of the sixth with a base hit up the middle, only the third allowed by Oglevie up to that point. Two batters later, Nicole Shinsky singled, and the Panthers had runners at first and second with one out. Peterson popped up for out number two, but Brown was able to score from second right after that on a 2-out throwing error.
Tied 1-1 in extra innings, Oglevie worked around a single by Elaine Brown and a double by Kara Dickinson in the eighth inning thanks to Alexander. The freshman catcher threw out Brown attempting to steal just before Dickinson launched one to deep left for her 14th double of the season.
In the ninth, however, one unfortunate bounce turned the game in Florida Tech’s favor. After Ashley Montion had reached on a 1-out walk, she was nearly picked off first base by Alexander. However, the throw hit Montion on the arm diving back to the bag and rolled under the nearby fence in foul territory. That put Montion at third and Amanda Bueno got her home with a fly ball to left.
In the bottom of the ninth, Florida Southern got a single from Heather Brinkmeier and a walk from Brown, but Haynes bounced into a force play at third for the final out.
That made a winner of Amanda Smith, who pitched the first five innings before being relieved by her sister Taylor Smith for two innings, and re-entered in the eighth. They gave up a total of six hits and three walks between them, with Amanda Smith improving to 16-9.
Oglevie fell to 8-12 while not giving up an earned run in her nine innings of work. Of the seven hits she allowed, Elaine Brown had three.
Florida Southern and Florida Tech will complete their 3-game series with a doubleheader Saturday afternoon at 1:00.
