Box Score
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – St. Thomas University infielder Robert Rodriguez drove in a pair of runs and the back end of a strong bullpen quieted the Eckerd College baseball program down the stretch in the Tritons' first defeat of the season on a blustery Friday night, 6-3.
With the wind occasionally blowing in from right-to-left field up to 20 mph, several fly balls from both sides that might have carried out over the fence were caught up in the air and kept within the confines of the Turley Athletic Complex.
Towering righties Ashley Bulluck (6-9) and Dane Stone combined for 2 1/3 no-hit innings in relief of southpaw starter Emilio Ogando. Ogando lasted four innings in his collegiate debut for the undefeated Bobcats (3-0, 0-0 TSC).
Another STU lefty, Corey Estrada, was credited with the win with 2 2/3 frames completed after Ogando didn't qualify for the minimum of five innings.
St. Thomas was coming off a pair of wins against Florida Memorial University and the Tritons toppled Warner University on Wednesday night in their home opener.
Senior
David Regidor recorded three hits for the Tritons (1-1, 0-0 SSC), third baseman Lee Spinelle roped an RBI double among his two hits while starting pitcher Jordan Huchro settled down after a rocky first inning.
Defensive miscues plagued the Tritons again as Eckerd committed three errors on a dropped fly ball, an errant throw on a pickoff attempt and a throw home that sailed wide to the backstop to score a run.
Huchro, a transfer from Pasco-Hernando C.C., issued a leadoff walk to Joel Capote and he came home to score on a single by Victor Madrazo. He escaped further damage in the inning by inducing an inning-ending double play.
The Tritons answered with a pair of runs in their first series of plate appearances to take the lead, riding
Joe McLemore's second double in as many games for a run and a
Joey LaRose RBI groundout.
Eckerd squandered a golden opportunity by leaving the bases loaded in the bottom of the second inning.
Rodriguez knotted things up on a sacrifice fly to left field in the fourth and a single up the middle by Nico Hernandez put the Bobcats on top, 3-2. St. Thomas tacked on another run in the fifth.
Joe Clagg tossed two scoreless innings in his first appearance of the season, painting the outside corners that caught St. Thomas hitters napping.
Richard Cruz-Sanchez fanned two hitters in his season debut while
Henry Langs and
Matt Ramsey each pitched 2/3 of an inning.
The Tritons advanced a runner to third against Stone in the bottom of the ninth, but he ended the game on a fly out to center to end the game.
Eckerd is back in action for a doubleheader against the same St. Thomas squad tomorrow afternoon beginning at 1 p.m.
