BOCA RATON, Fla. – A three-run home run by Austin Smith capped a four-run eighth and helped Lynn University's 27th-ranked baseball team slip past Florida Tech 8-4 on Friday afternoon. Smith's home run highlighted a 3-for-4 day at the plate with two runs scored and four runs driven in. Starter Shawn Kale struck out seven in six innings pitched while earning the no-decision. The Fighting Knights improve to 22-11 overall and 6-4 in the Sunshine State Conference.
Florida Tech (22-13, 7-5 SSC) overcame a two-run deficit in the eighth with a two-out RBI squeeze bunt single by Alex Alfonso and RBI base hit from K.C. Clabough. With the game knotted a four, Kamm Washington drew a two-out walk, putting LU runners on first and second. Kyle Radzewski followed with his second RBI hit of the game to put LU back on top before Smith unloaded on the first pitch he saw from Cody Lewis, sending the belt-high fastball over the scoreboard in right field.
The Panthers grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, four pitches into the game. K.C. Clabough turned on a 1-2 fastball from Kale and sent a line drive skipping over the fence in left for his first home run of the season.
Lynn tied the game at one in the bottom of the frame without earning a hit. Smith drew a five-pitch walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch, moved on to third with a ground ball to second and later scored when Anthony Boza hit a soft chopper to second base.
Kale turned it on after the lead-off home run, striking out the side in second inning and fanning Jose Vazquez with the bases juiced to end the sixth.
Radzewski gave little doubt about a hit in the third when he smashed the first offering from FIT starter Jason Boyer into the trees in left field, putting LU on top 2-1. Florida Tech tied the game at two in the fourth though after the second of five Lynn errors, a failed pick-off attempt, helped the Panthers score without a base hit.
The Blue & White managed a two-out rally of their own when Paul Stortini reached on his second base hit of the game in the fifth. Radzewski hit a solid ground ball through the left side of the infield and Smith gave Lynn a 3-2 advantage with a RBI single up the middle. Mike Diorio added LU's fourth run with a bloop RBI single over Clabough's head at short.
Florida Tech had a chance to blow open the game in the seventh, loading the bases on relievers Joe Perrotta and A.J. Falletta. Falletta, though, overcame a 2-0 count to clean-up hitter Scott Carcaise and caught the Panther's designated hitter looking on an off-speed pitch away to end the frame.
Andre Colon (2-2) picked up the win with one strikeout and three hits allowed over two innings pitched.
The Fighting Knights close out their series with the Panthers with a noon doubleheader on Saturday. Fans can follow the action live at LynnFightingKnights.com by selecting the Game Central icon.
