Box Score - EC vs. Georgia College & State
Box Score - EC vs. Lynn
CLEARWATER, Fla. – As part of a 15-team field in attendance, the Eckerd College softball program fell to Georgia College & State University, 5-9, before toppling against Sunshine State Conference member Lynn University, 3-1, on Friday at the Eddie C. Moore Complex.
Freshman Brittany Mitchell threw five consecutive scoreless innings inside the pitcher's circle for her first career win against the Fighting Knights in the nightcap as the Tritons (3-1, 0-0 SSC) closed out their league rival.
Whitney Bernier recorded a save with a scoreless seventh.
Eckerd was coming off a season-opening sweep of a doubleheader from Ave Maria University last weekend.
“Brittany did an excellent job for the first start of her career,” EC Head Coach
Josh Beauregard praised. “She may have had some first-start jitters after giving up a run early, but settled down and did a great job for us.”
The Tritons were in control of the opener until Georgia College & State's Dani Gallucci launched a game-tying grand slam as part of a seven-run sixth inning and two more runs came around to score on a costly two-out throwing error by
Kaitlyn Dougherty in the pitcher's circle.
But the Tritons were patient at the plate in the early innings, forcing Bobcats (2-4 overall) starting pitcher Erica Bell to work deep in the count.
“The first game was a disappointing loss because we were in control for all but one inning,” Beauregard continued. “We can't shoot ourselves in the foot like we did. Overall, we played pretty well, but we can't have a seven-run inning and expect to win. Offensively, we're scoring runs, but we have to make the fundamental plays.”
Lead-off hitting lefty Julie Bierchen put the Tritons on the board first with a bloop two-run single deposited into shallow left field.
Emily Wiemken drew a bases-loaded RBI walk on a payoff pitch that gave the Tritons a 5-1 lead in the fourth inning. She also added an RBI single in the third frame to plate
Kristen Schurr after the third baseman led off with a single to get things going.
But the Bobcats assembled three consecutive hits to begin the sixth inning against Dougherty before Gallucci left the park with a towering shot over the left-field fence. With a pair of GCSU runners on base, Dougherty handled a comebacker at the mound from Natalie Bellantonni, but the throw was errant and skidded into foul territory.
GCSU added an additional insurance run in the top of the seventh inning.
Against Lynn, clutch offense was provided by
Ashleigh Bynum, who delivered a 2-2 offering from Callie Darlin into right field to score a pair of runs and snap a 1-1 tie.
Sarah Agnew ripped a double that bounced off the outfield netting and was nearly a home run and Dougherty completed the three-run second frame with a run-scoring hit.
Bierchen had three hits against the Fighting Knights.
The Tritons are back in action again tomorrow in Clearwater, facing Colorado Christian University at 1:30 p.m.
