Box Score
BOCA RATON, Fla. – Bianca Savulak delivered a two-out RBI double in the bottom of the eighth inning to send Lynn University over the Eckerd College softball program in walk-off style in a Thursday afternoon thriller, 5-4.
Savulak plated Christina Carvatta all the way from first base to cap a back-and-forth contest in which the Tritons (9-35, 1-12 SSC) rallied to tie on two occasions, but ultimately, could not stop what has become a 15-game slide.
The Fighting Knights (2-34, 1-12 SSC), also experiencing their own struggles this season, collected just their second win of the season and notched their first victory in Sunshine State Conference play.
Savulak's game-winning double was part of a three-hit day that included a pair of runs batted in.
The Tritons came back to knot the score in the top of the fourth inning (2-2) and the top of the seventh frame (4-4). Sophomore
Ashleigh Bynum ripped a run-scoring single up the middle and freshman Brittany Mitchell returned the favor in the seventh to put the pressure on Lynn.
Mitchell then shut down the Lynn offense in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings.
Senior
Alex Sasso started the eighth with a double and represented the go-ahead run, but was left stranded after LU starter Missy Montgomery retired the next three hitters in order.
Sasso also recorded an RBI double in the top half of the first inning to get the scoring underway against the Fighting Knights and Montgomery. Lynn erased the early deficit with two runs in their first series of plate appearances against EC starter
Whitney Bernier.
Bernier logged 3 2/3 innings of work on the mound while Mitchell scattered five hits in the final four frames.
The Tritons temporarily took the lead in the fifth inning after junior Julie Bierchen kickstarted with a bunt single followed by her 13th stolen base of the season. After a groundout moved her to third base, Mitchell pushed a bunt single to the pitcher's mound for another RBI.
A trio of defensive errors resulted in one unearned run against the combined line of Bernier and Mitchell.
The Tritons and Fighting Knights will reunite again tomorrow morning for a doubleheader at the McCusker Sports Complex beginning at 10 a.m.
