AVON PARK, Fla. – Warner University clawed out a game-one victory with the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning and proceeded to ride that momentum to an eventual sweep against the Eckerd College softball program on Monday, 7-6 and 10-0 (5 innings).
Warner remained unbeaten against Eckerd this season in four games played.
The Royals (15-7 overall) snapped a 6-6 tie after the Tritons (9-26 overall) stormed back in their top half of the seventh to knot things up the opener. But a pair of back-to-back walks issued to begin the frame put the team in a tough spot with the bases eventually loaded and just one out recorded.
Warner tallied the winning run on a fielder's choice with an error as the decisive run went against the line of starter
Kaitlyn Dougherty, who re-entered in the seventh inning.
Dougherty finished 4 1/3 innings on the mound in a starting role and allowed five hits and five runs.
Freshman Brittany Mitchell entered the game and
Nazley Wilson allowed just one hit in 1 2/3 scoreless innings.
The Tritons crossed the plate six times on just three hits, although two were in extra-base fashion with doubles off the bats from Jessica Sudler and
Sarah Agnew.
Sudler ripped an RBI double in the fourth frame and the Tritons rallied in the seventh, capped off by bases-loaded walks drawn by
Alex Sasso and
Chelsea Jeffares. Jeffares' patience at the plate tied things up at 6-6 as Mitchell advanced home.
Dougherty was credited with an RBI and plated one run on a sacrifice fly and error by the right fielder in the sixth.
The Tritons offense pounded out seven hits against the Royals in game two, but Heather Knoop worked out of enough trouble to earn the complete-game shutout. She struck out just one.
Eckerd stranded five runners on the basepaths and were unable to stop the momentum generated by the Royals as Warner spotted four runs in the fourth and poured it on with a five-run third frame.
Sasso and
Ashleigh Bynum each recorded two hits in game two.
The Tritons will look to get back on the winning track on Wednesday afternoon for a 3:30 p.m. doubleheader at Palm Beach Atlantic University, with the Sailfish holding a 3-0 edge in the season series.
Live stats will be available courtesy of the PBA athletics website.
