Box Score
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Junior Lee Spinelle recorded the go-ahead RBI hit in the bottom of the eighth inning to snap a 5-5 tie and the Eckerd College baseball program made an inspired comeback from a two-run deficit against Saint Anselm (N.H.) College on Tuesday night, 6-5.
Johnny Lancaster tossed a scoreless eighth and was on the end of the winning decision in a relief role.
Joey Cuda was credited with his second save of the year with a perfect ninth to cap a three-hour, 31-minute affair.
The Hawks (3-4 overall) were continuing their trip from the Northeast, facing Sunshine State Conference member Rollins College in a three-game series prior. Unconventionally, the Hawks were swinging the lumber in the form wooden bats, different from the traditional aluminum.
The Tritons (7-4, 0-0 SSC) were aggressive on the basepaths, swiping six bases to help push their current win streak to three straight.
“That's a combination of being observant and figuring out the catcher's release time at the plate,” EC Head Coach
Bill Mathews said. “It worked. Anytime you win it's a good feeling, but we have four more games this week. We're just trying to stay focused; not getting too excited yet.”
Mathews, along with the official scorers from the Houston Astros and Cincinnati Reds, returned earlier this afternoon from New York where they conducted a seminar for Major League Baseball on the art of official scoring.
Spinelle drove in his team-leading ninth run of the year as SAC's shortstop committed a pair of fielding miscues to key a three-run eighth against original shortstop Tito Lluberes.
Tritons' starter Jordan Huchro and his counterpart Robert Kelly dueled through three scoreless innings before the Hawks were able to generate some offense in the middle stages.
After Huchro walked the bases loaded in the top of the fourth,
Robbie Nabers was summoned out of the bullpen to work out of the one-out jam.
Nabers retired the first hitter on strikes, but a fielding error plated one run before the Hawks' Tito Lluberes ripped a two-run single into center field for a 3-0 Saint Anselm lead.
EC senior cleanup hitter
Bryant Gibson put the Tritons the board with an RBI single after a pair of baserunners reached on back-to-back errors at the hot corner.
Saint Anselm added another wind-aided run as Dan LaGasse found the left-center gap for double to score Kelly.
After play was delayed briefly due to an injury sustained by the home plate umpire,
David Regidor plated another run in the fifth frame with a single.
The Tritons return to the Turley Athletic Complex tomorrow evening against the same Saint Anselm squad for another 7 p.m. matchup on the diamond.
