Box Score
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Being doused with a celebratory ice bath never felt so good.
For Eckerd College baseball Head Coach
Bill Mathews, it represented the sustained culmination of a 22-year investment with commitment, excellence and integrity, as he collected his 450th career win in a historic night against Clearwater Christian College, 4-1.
Jordan Huchro pitched five strong innings for his first win of the year,
Bryant Gibson and
Joe McLemore each had clutch two-out RBI singles in the fifth inning and
Matt Ramsey shut the door in the ninth for the save.
Beaming proudly with a baseball signed by the whole team, the Tritons' skipper was all smiles despite his iconic #29 jersey being drenched just moments prior during his postgame interview.
“Anytime you have the opportunity to win over 400 games (pushing 500) there's a lot of things that goes into that equation,” Mathews said. “Having the opportunity to do it in one place is even more special. I'm the one who gets the won-loss record, but the guys that have been part of the program, playing or coaching -- they all get a piece of this special moment.”
Mathews' historic accomplishment came in lieu of somber news that his acquaintance and coaching counterpart, Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter, had passed away earlier this afternoon at the age of 57 after succumbing to a battle with brain cancer.
An 11-time all-star backstop, Carter helped the New York Mets win a 1986 World Series and was presiding as Head Coach at Palm Beach Atlantic University at the time. Eckerd paid homage to the baseball legend before the game with a moment of silence.
Mathews and Carter met for the first time when the Tritons and Sailfish played last season. They conversed for an hour and to this day, Mathews will never forget the time shared.
“He's a special character and he was positive until the end,” Mathews reflected. “The last text I got from him was about five weeks ago – 'I'm still fighting the good fight. Thank you for the prayers.'”
Huchro, a 6-3 transfer from Pasco-Hernando Community College, was dealing in his third start of the season and allowed just one hit through his first three frames of work. The only run against him was unearned as a two-base throwing error from the hot corner gave the Cougars their only run.
The Tampa product earned the winning decision by scattering four hits, striking out four and walking just one.
Alex Menendez and McLemore combined for three scoreless innings in middle relief before Ramsey punched out two of the three hitters in a perfect ninth.
The Tritons (5-4, 0-0 SSC) doubled up the Cougars (1-10 overall) in the hit column, 12-6.
Junior Lee Spinelle was 3-for-4 with a bloop RBI single that plated the first run in the bottom of the first stanza. Swinging in the designated hitter slot, the Lincoln Land (Ill.) C.C. transfer, boosted his team-leading average to .441.
The Tritons have the weekend off before returning to the Turley Athletic Complex on Monday evening to face Ave Maria University for a 7 p.m. matchup under the lights.
