Box Score
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Junior
Audry Santana drove in the tying run and junior
Shane Bishop delivered the go-ahead and eventual winning run in a pinch-hit situation as the Eckerd College baseball program rallied late against Tiffin (Ohio) University on Tuesday night, 6-4.
Santana recorded another RBI in the sixth inning and additional runs for the Tritons (11-10, 0-6 SSC) crossed the plate on different throwing errors across the field against the Dragons (4-7, 0-0 GLIAC).
Junior
Richard Cruz-Sanchez pitched two scoreless innings in a relief role to bump his record to 3-0 on the season. He recorded the final out of the game with a strikeout swinging.
Prior the Cruz-Sanchez ending the game in the top of the ninth, Tiffin manager Joe Wilkins was tossed for arguing balls and strikes and the situation was diffused before escalating.
Following the brief delay, Cruz-Sanchez buckled down and fanned Nick Hueneberg to push EC over .500 again on the season.
Tiffin was scheduled to play earlier this morning as part of the Clearwater Invitational, but was rained out.
Both teams were charged with four errors, all around the infield. The Tritons scored the first run of the game in the third inning, executing a delayed steal on an errant throw, prompting discussion from Wilkins and the umpiring crew.
Junior
Chris Hanson had the first hit of the night for the Eckerd offense and went 2-for-3 at the plate while scoring the first run.
The Dragons answered with a three-run fifth despite just getting one hit in the inning. Two fielding errors preceded a two-run single by Nick Calandra, but freshman
Nick Hill came in relief of starter
David Horsfield and stranded runners on second and third to limit the damage.
Horsfield was strong in 4 1/3 innings, scattering a pair of hits while all three of the runs against his line were unearned on the night. He started the night with four consecutive scoreless innings to earn a no-decision.
Santana went 1-for-3 on the night with two RBI in his first start of the year.
Freshman
Carter Cashman and sophomore
Eric Foster each started in the outfield for the Tritons, their first of the spring.
Bishop came off the bench with two outs in the eighth and scored freshmen
Rowdy Andrews and
Matt MacMahon, one of those runs coming in as a result of a sailed throw near the Eckerd dugout.
The Tritons will look to get tracked in Sunshine State Conference play this weekend, welcoming Nova Southeastern University at the Turley Athletic Complex for a three-game series.
