Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Eckerd Tritons (15-13, 1-8 SSC) picked up their first conference win of the season in an SSC doubleheader split with the top nationally-ranked Florida Southern Moccasins (26-5, 6-3 SSC) on Saturday afternoon at the Turley Athletic Complex. Eckerd defeated the Mocs, 6-4, in game one before falling in game two, 4-2.
In game one, the Mocs took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second on a two-run homer by Andrew Grutka. Eckerd responded quickly with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning, scoring on a passed ball and an infield single by
Chris Clinton, tying the game at 2-2.
Eckerd would then take a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the third on
Dan Branca's first homerun of the season. Triton starter
Jay Moroff would keep the Mocs from scoring any more runs until the top of the sixth when Tony Mitchell singled home a run to tie the score at three apiece.
Johnny Lancaster entered the game in relief of Moroff with two outs and the bases loaded two batters later and would get Trae Gore to lineout on a diving catch by LF
Wess Hollins, escaping any further damage.
Florida Southern regained the lead, 4-3, in the top of the seventh after an RBI single through the left side by Tyler Benzel. Eckerd would rally to take the lead in the bottom of the inning, however, taking advantage of two Moccasin errors to push across two unearned runs and take a 5-4 lead.
The Tritons would then expand its lead to 6-4 in the eighth when Hollins scored from first base on an errant throw following a failed pickoff attempt.
The top of the ninth proved to be a role reversal from the bottom of the ninth on Friday as the Mocs had runners on first and second with one out before another controversial call ended the game. This one involved an apparent diving catch by RF Minervino Labrador. The Moccasins baserunners assumed that there was no catch, allowing the Tritons to double off Benzel at first base to end the game.
Lancaster (3-2) earned the victory after pitching two and two-thirds innings of relief while allowing just one run and striking out five.
Francisco Collazo, who came on in relief of Lancaster in the ninth, earned his fifth save of the season.
In game two, the Tritons took an early 1-0 lead when Clinton scored after a throwing error in the first inning. Eckerd then made it 2-0, manufacturing a run in the second thanks to a sacrifice bunt followed by an RBI groundout by Hollins.
The Moccasins, however, would not be down long, taking a 4-2 lead on an opposite field grand slam by Kelvin Clark.
After Southern took the lead, Mocs' starter Gus Schlosser (5-2) did the rest, earning the win after throwing seven complete innings while allowing one earned run.
Joey Cuda (4-2) took the loss after going seven innings and allowing four runs on seven hits while striking out seven.
Eckerd will return to action on Tuesday, March 30 as it travels to Lakeland, Fla. to battle the Southeastern Fire at 7pm.
