ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - After falling 4-3 in 12 innings the night before, the Eckerd Tritons (21-24, 4-14 SSC) found themselves in a pair of barnburners on Saturday, winning game one of an SSC doubleheader, 6-5, on a walk-off single by
Matt Heller before falling in game two, 1-0, against the Florida Tech Panthers (28-18, 9-9 SSC).
In game one, the Panthers took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first on an RBI single by Kevin Villa. The Tritons quickly answered in the bottom of the first when
Jarrett Mackin scored on a single up the line by
Joe Dabah that was misplayed by the Tech defense, tying the game at 1-1.
Florida Tech regained the lead in the top of the fourth on a run-scoring groundout by John Fouchet. The Panthers expanded their lead to 3-1 in the fifth on a run-scoring base hit up the middle by Michael Demma.
In the bottom of the fifth, however,
Chris Clinton gave the Tritons their first lead of the series, belting a three-run homer to give Eckerd a 4-3 lead. The Tritons would go on to add a run in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI single by
Minervino Labrador.
In the top of the eighth, Florida Tech tied the game 5-5 after a solo homer by Demma and an RBI single by Jose Vasquez.
In the bottom of the ninth, however, the Tritons turned a leadoff double by Labrador into a walk-off single by Matt Heller for the 6-5 victory.
In game two, the Panthers got on the board first with an RBI single by Mitch Saum in the top of the third.
That would be all the run support that Tech starter
Randall Thompson would require as he enjoyed a dominant performance, throwing seven innings of one hit ball while striking out seven.
Eckerd will return to the diamond on Tuesday, April 21 as it travels to Saint Leo, Fla. to battle the Saint Leo Lions in non-conference action beginning at 7pm.
