Box Score Melbourne, Fla. – (3/4/2014) – Chestnut Hill College had #23 Florida Institute of Technology (FIT) on the ropes in this afternoon's contest as the Griffins loaded the bases, in a 4-4 game, with no outs in the top of the eighth inning. But a 4-2-3 double play and a fly-out to left center field allowed the Panthers to secure the win the contest in the bottom of the frame, 6-4. Junior third baseman Taylor Steen (New Egypt, N.J.) recorded two hits (2-for-3) while senior second baseman Mark Woltemate (Philadelphia, Pa.) continued his timely hitting with a two-out, two-run double in the second inning.
 
FIT (14-4) used a couple walks and two Chestnut Hill College (1-5) errors to score the contest's first runs in the bottom of the first inning, 2-0. But the Griffins made up for their defensive miscues in the top of the very next frame with back-to-back, one-out singles producing two runs thanks to Woltemate's two-out double to center field, 2-2.
 
The Panthers broke the tie in the bottom of the third inning, when a lead-off triple came home on a two-out single through the left side, 3-2. They added to their lead in the fifth inning on a lead-off homerun by freshman catcher Brad Jones (Williston, Fla.), 4-2, but the Griffins answered in their next two at-bats; in the sixth inning with junior right fielder Michael McLaughlin (Philadelphia, Pa.) drawing a lead-off walk and scoring on a sacrifice fly from sophomore designated hitter Brendan Looby (Sewell, N.J.), 4-3, and in the seventh inning with a one-out walk and a Steen single producing a run on ground-out from junior shortstop Preston Koehler (Bath, Pa.), 4-4.
 
The Griffins looked to put an end to the contest in the top of the eighth inning, when a lead-off double from McLaughlin, a single and stolen base from senior center fielder Desmond Lites (Philadelphia, Pa.), and an intentional walk to Looby loaded the base with no outs. A Panther pitching change to sophomore Gerardo Dudamel (Lake Wales, Fla.) proved to be the right move as the Griffins squandered the opportunity with a 4-2-3 double play and a fly-out to left center field allowing the Panthers to score the winning runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, 6-4. Junior pitcher Dane Gahr (Brick, N.J.) allowed two earned runs on three hits and three walks while striking out three in seven innings of work.
 
The baseball team returns to Lantana, Florida, tomorrow, Wednesday, March 4, to face LIU Post in a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader.