Box score not available at time of release
BABSON PARK, Fla. – Senior pitcher
Joey Cuda carved out a seven-inning masterpiece in his second start of the season and the Eckerd College baseball program erupted for six runs in the seventh inning to defeat Webber International University on the road, 9-2.
The staff ace from St. Petersburg tossed seven scoreless innings and allowed just four hits while striking out five. His earned run average held steady at a perfect 0.00 following his scoreless season debut against Warner University.
“Joey doesn't pitch predictably and no one has been able to adjust to him,” EC Head Coach
Bill Mathews raved. “He finds holes in hitters and attacks their swing.”
Cuda (2-0, 0.00) began the game by inducing three straight groundouts and allowed just one batter to reach in the next two innings before mowing down the side in order again in the top of the fourth.
Senior
Aaron Shapiro roped a two-run double and recorded three RBI to go with two runs scored on a pair of base hits. Fellow senior
Dan Capra also plated a pair of runs on just one swing, legging out a two-run triple for the first runs of the game in the second inning.
The Tritons (2-3, 0-0 SSC) bounced back from three consecutive home defeats against St. Thomas University. The Warriors (3-5, 0-0 TSC) avoided the shutout by scoring a pair of runs in the bottom of the ninth inning, including one on a double play.
“We had great approaches at the plate tonight,” Mathews continued. “We had good swings up the middle, from gap-to-gap and advanced runners once they were on base. This was a good win for us because Webber (International) is a good ball club.”
Eckerd jumped all over Sean Stanislawski as he relieved WIU starter Robbie Payton to begin the seventh.
Alex Del Monte led off the frame with a walk,
David Regidor drove him in with a double before scoring on a passed ball.
Joey LaRose had an RBI single later in the inning and Shapiro sent him and
Bryant Gibson to home with his one-out double.
Kevin Rea poured it on with sacrifice fly against a new reliever and the damage was done.
Capra came through with a two-out clutch triple to kick off the scoring in the second inning before EC took a three-run advantage in the sixth on a run-scoring groundout by Shapiro.
Regidor and Lee Spinelle each recorded two hits hitting No. 3 and 4 in the lineup.
Nabers, who recorded a save against Warner in his first activity out of the pen, worked a scoreless eighth inning before escaping further trouble in the ninth.
The Tritons will look to keep their winning ways alive this weekend at Florida Christian College on Saturday, playing a doubleheader beginning at noon in Orlando.
