MELBOURNE, Fla. – The University of Sioux Falls baseball team dropped a tightly contested pitcher's duel Friday afternoon, falling 3-1 to Florida Tech at Andy Seminick-Les Hall Field.
Strong pitching defined the contest throughout, as the Cougars collected eight hits but were unable to string together timely offense against Florida Tech starter Jacob Pino and the Panthers bullpen. Sioux Falls received a strong outing from Jake Ammann on the mound, but Florida Tech capitalized on a pair of scoring opportunities and a late insurance run to secure the win. With the result, the Cougars move to 4-7 on the season while the Panthers improve to 9-7.
Final Score: Florida Tech 3, Sioux Falls 1
Overall Record: Florida Tech (9-7), Sioux Falls (4-7)
How It Happened
Both teams settled into a pitching duel early, as Sioux Falls starter Jake Ammann and Florida Tech's Jacob Pino traded scoreless innings to begin the afternoon.
Florida Tech broke through in the bottom of the second inning. Tyler McClanahan reached base and moved into scoring position before Brian Perez delivered an RBI single to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead.
The Panthers added to their advantage in the fourth inning when Gabe Roque lifted a solo home run to extend the lead to 2-0.
Despite the deficit, the Cougars continued to create traffic on the bases. Sioux Falls recorded hits in several innings but struggled to convert opportunities, leaving nine runners stranded in the contest.
Florida Tech added an insurance run in the eighth inning after loading the bases. Dylan Fatovich worked a walk to bring home Jaden Hill, pushing the Panthers lead to 3-0.
Sioux Falls threatened in the ninth inning. Justin Johnson reached base and eventually came around to score when Casey Sehr reached on a Florida Tech fielding error, trimming the deficit to 3-1. However, the Panthers recorded the final outs to close out the game.
On the Mound
Jake Ammann (L, 0-2)
• 7.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K
Bullpen
• Taylor Morrissette – 0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 1 K
• Jack Richeson – 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R
Ammann delivered a quality start for Sioux Falls, striking out seven while limiting Florida Tech to two runs across seven innings.
At the Plate
Multi-hit Games
• William Edwards – 2-for-4
• Casey Sehr – 2-for-4
Extra-base Hits
• Casey Sehr – Double
Team Totals
• 8 hits
• 3 walks
• 9 runners left on base
Up Next
The Cougars return to action tomorrow as they face Florida Tech at 1:00 p.m. in Melbourne, Florida.
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