EC vs. Saint Leo (Game 1)
EC vs. Saint Leo (Game 2)
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Senior
Alex Sasso muscled a towering drive for a two-run double to break a late tie and the Eckerd College softball program rallied to eventually split against Saint Leo University on Wednesday night, winning 5-3 and falling 8-1.
Sasso infused a charge in the Tritons' offense by going 3-for-3 for three RBI, which sprayed a total of 11 hits to all parts of the field in game one against SLU starter Megan Still.
Sophomore
Chelsea Jeffares and junior Julie Bierchen each went 2-for 3 with a pair of runs scored and while junior
Sarah Agnew was 2-for-2 in her official at-bats, outside of including a productive hit-by-pitch and sacrifice bunt.
The offensive execution backed up an impressive complete game victory for freshman Brittany Mitchell in the pitcher's circle, who scattered seven hits, struck out three and allowed a pair of earned runs.
The Tritons (12-40, 4-17 SSC) and Lions (19-32, 4-17 SSC) were completing their three-game conference series after the original doubleheader was rained out on Saturday.
Eckerd engineered an impressive rally against Still, who was just four days removed from tossing a three-hit, 10-strikeout gem in Saint Leo's shutout win last Friday.
Down by a pair of runs heading into the fifth inning, the Tritons scored three runs on four hits and were aided by a pair of Lions' errors.
After Saint Leo tied things up in the top of the sixth on Diane Gonzalez's solo home run, Jeffares and Bierchen were both on base with one out in the bottom of the sixth to set the stage for Sasso.
Sasso pulled an offering from Still over the retreating right fielder's glove as the ball crashed into the fence, easily scoring the go-ahead runs. She boosted her team-leading average up to .326 and it marked her 12th double of the spring.
In game two,
Kristen Schurr delivered a sharp RBI single, her team-best 20th run driven home, in Eckerd's first series of at-bats against Ashley Ehlers, but the Lions scored a combined seven runs in the final two frames to eventually pull away.
Ehlers settled down and allowed just three hits after that point as she went the distance, allowing just the unearned run while striking out five.
The strike zone was dancing all over the place for both Ehlers and EC starter
Whitney Bernier, who tossed 6 1/3 innings in the losing cause.
Eckerd will be back in action on Friday at the Turley Athletic Complex, playing host to Barry University during Senior Day Weekend. The Tritons will face the Buccaneers beginning at 7 p.m. on Friday before playing out a doubleheader on Saturday.
Seniors
Emily Wiemken and Sasso will be honored as part of Saturday's festivities prior to the second game.
