EC vs. Florida Tech (Game 1)
EC vs. Florida Tech (Game 2)
MELBOURNE, Fla. – After completing nearly 21 innings of play, an all-too-familiar scenario unfolded down the stretch as the Eckerd College baseball program was victimized by a walk-off walk in the bottom of the 12th inning to wrap up a Saturday twinbill against Florida Tech.
The Tritons (13-16, 2-10 SSC) ceded the three-game Sunshine State Conference series against the Panthers (21-12, 7-4 SSC), falling in game one, 11-2, and the finale, 8-7.
While the game-winning run trotted home in the bottom of the ninth inning on a full count bases-loaded walk in Friday night's affair, FT's Brent Bontrager drew the decisive base-on-ball to score teammate De'Von Richardson and cap a barnburner.
There was one out when the winning run crossed home plate.
Behind a 5-for-7 day at the plate from
Kevin Rea and four hits each from
Alex Del Monte and
Joe McLemore, the Tritons outhit the Panthers in the finale, 20-13.
EC jumped out to a 4-0 lead following the first two innings and led until the sixth before FT tied things up at 6-6. Eckerd pushed across the go-ahead run in the top of the seventh, but the Panthers again rallied to force extra play.
The Tritons ripped off three runs on four hits in their first trip to the plate against Panthers' starter Trevor Graham.
After Del Monte and Rea led the game off with back-to-back singles, McLemore put EC on the board first with an RBI hit to left. After
Joey LaRose walked to load the bases, Lance Boggio delivered a single to center before
Bryant Gibson completed the damage with an RBI sacrifice fly.
Rea doubled in the second frame to help manufacture another run, but Florida Tech countered with a two-run homer by Tyler Doughty.
The Tritons scored in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings, as Rea put Eckerd in position to bring home the win with a two-out RBI single.
Both teams exchanged scoreless innings on the strength of shutdown performances by each respective bullpen before the first two runners for Florida Tech reached base in the 12th on a walk and single. A sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third with one out, and back-to-back walks were issued to end the game.
Jake Wilder was chased for four runs, all earned, in the starting bid.
Robbie Nabers allowed just one run in 5 2/3 strong relief innings. FT's James Mannara scattered seven hits in 5 1/3 scoreless frames for the win.
In the opener, the Tritons claimed a 2-0 lead before relinquishing 11 unanswered runs as the Panthers came alive. Florida Tech tacked on two runs in the fourth to tie things up and added further separation with a four-spot in the sixth.
The Tritons return home to begin the month of April, hosting Webber International University next Wednesday for a 7 p.m. contest. Live stats with live video/audio will be available on EckerdTritons.com.
