MELBOURNE, Fla. - The Spring Hill College baseball team fell on the road 8-2 to Florida Tech to start the 2026 season. The Badgers will look to win the series against the Panthers tomorrow, with game one of the doubleheader starting at 11 A.M. eastern.
Florida Tech (1-0) took a 3-0 lead into the top of the sixth, when the Badgers threatened with a leadoff triple from junior
Angel Rivera to start things off. Unfortunately, he would be stranded as the next three hitters went down in order.
The Panthers pushed their lead to 8-0 in the bottom of the seventh when they plated five runs on four hits.
Spring Hill (0-1) got on the board in the top of the eighth and it started when junior
Jatnier Torres singled through the left side and later moved to second off an error that allowed Rivera to reach first. A double play ball allowed the Panthers to get two quick outs getting the lead runner Torries and the hitter senior
Reggie Cooper. Rivera was able to take second on the play. Down to their final out, Panther redshirt junior
Jordan Black parked a two-run home run to cut the lead to 8-2 before the frame ended.
In the top of the ninth, the Badgers threatened with a runner on first with one out, but back-to-back strikeouts ended the game.
Black led the Badgers at the plate as he tallied a pair of hits to go 2-for-4 with a run scored, a home run, and two RBIs. Teammates
Eli Benoit, Torres, and Rivera each tallied a hit apiece.
Spring Hill starting pitcher
Ray Ochoa (0-1) went four innings allowing five hits, three runs (all earned), while striking out five.
