Box Score
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Florida Tech scored four runs in the top of the seventh inning to rally back and held on to defeat the Eckerd College softball program in the opener of a three-game series on Friday night, 6-3.
The Tritons (9-29, 1-6 SSC) saw their losing streak extend to eight despite holding a one-run advantage going into the seventh inning against the Panthers (16-21, 2-8 SSC).
Eckerd was resilient in overcoming a one-run deficit thanks to a sharp two-run single up the middle by freshman Jessica Sudler and snapped a 2-2 tie later on to back starter
Whitney Bernier in another quality start.
FT starter Brianna Barth helped her own cause on the mound with a hit, two runs scored and a pair of stolen bases as she outdueled Bernier, who allowed five earned runs in 6 1/3 innings while striking out two hitters.
Brittany Mitchell scored on a wild pitch with two outs to give the Tritons a 3-2 lead with a chance to close out the game. She legged out a pair of infield singles on choppers to the shortstop.
Mitchell and
Kristen Schurr beat out infield singles to begin the fourth inning and
Alex Sasso dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move them up a station. With one swing, Sudler erased the Tritons' fortunes with her two-run single and put EC in front, 2-1.
FT's Emily Densem began the seventh with a double and came home on an Erica Tollett RBI single two batters later to tie the game up at 3-3. The go-ahead run also was plated on the same sequence as the throw home was errant as Barth advanced on the error.
The inning was prolonged as Brooke Fisher plated another run on a double in her first at-bat of the night, still with one out recorded. Lindsy Dugan pushed the lead to 6-3 following a groundout to shortstop that brought home another teammate.
After
Chelsea Jeffares was beaned to begin the bottom of the seventh, Barth buckled down and retired the next three hitters to earn the complete-game victory.
Lauren Cole initially put Florida Tech on top with a two-out, run-scoring single flared into right field in the first inning.
The Tritons and Panthers will go to battle again tomorrow afternoon at the Turley Athletic Complex for a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. Live stats with video/audio will be streamed live on EckerdTritons.com.
