ST. AUGUSTINE – Austin Allen collected his third run batted in on the night when he singled in the top of the eighth inning, scoring Kevin Wortman from second base to give No. 4 (Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Top 30) Florida Tech a 4-3 win over No. 15 Flagler College in a non-conference baseball game Tuesday night at Drysdale Field.
Florida Tech won its fifth game in a row to improve to 31-5. Flagler fell to 26-9.
Wortman drew a one-out walk off Flagler reliever
Michael Maiocco (5-3). Reid Neal followed with a walk.
Michael Hanke came on to relieve Maiocco and struck out the next batter. But Allen took a 0-1 pitch and hit the ball to the left-center gap which was cut off before getting to the wall. Wortman scored and Neal could only advance to second base.
Allen and Tyler Doughty each had RBI singles in the first inning, but the Saints were quick to answer.
Shawn Hendon laced a two-run single to right-center to knot the game at 2-all.
The Saints jumped ahead 3-2 in the second inning.
Nick Oberg led off with a double, advanced to third on a ground out, and then scored on
Andrew Brodbeck's double which just stayed fair going down the first base line and into the right field corner.
The Panthers were able to tie the game at 3-all in the third inning. Neal led off the inning with a double down the left field line and was able to move up a base on successive ground outs to first base, scoring on the second one by Allen.
Ty Cohen (6-1) retired 13 of the last 14 batters he faced. He tossed seven innings, scattered five hits, allowed three runs and struck out four. Jerrod Leinhauser earned his ninth save of the season tossing a scoreless ninth.
Allen singled twice and drove in three runs. Neal hit two doubles and scored two runs. Doughty collected a pair of singles and had a run batted in.
Hendon had a two-run single and Brodbeck had an RBI double for the Saints. Flagler was held hitless for the last five and one-third innings.
Kolin McMillen, Oberg and
Skylar Fox had the other Flagler hits.
Maiocco pitched just one-third of an inning, walked two and surrendered one run.
Nathaniel Abel tossed seven innings, allowed four hits and three runs, walked two and fanned seven. He retired 14 of the last 15 batters he faced.
Michael Hanke closed the game, pitching one and two-thirds scoreless innings, allowing three hits and striking out two batters.
Flagler returns to Peach Belt Conference play on Friday (April 10) at No. 14 Armstrong State University at 3 p.m.
NOTE: Prior to the start of tonight's game, there was a dedication of the new seating at Drysdale Field.
