BABSON PARK, Fla. – Junior newcomers
Sydney Dinelli and
Erin Dixson each slugged home runs as the Eckerd College softball program compiled a doubleheader sweep to take down Webber International University on Wednesday afternoon, 2-1 and 6-1.
The Tritons (2-5, 0-0 SSC) were coming off a busy weekend after playing five games in three days while hosting the eighth annual Eckerd College Spring Invitational in Clearwater.
Despite five consecutive defeats -- including back-to-back frustrating results in extra innings -- at the Eddie C. Moore Complex, the Eckerd offense bounced back in a resilient way against a Webber International team that had the upper hand against the Tritons in three of four meetings during the 2013 spring campaign.
Eckerd delivered career wins No. 91 and 92 for head coach
Josh Beauregard in the road twinbill and tabbed their first victories of the spring campaign.
Game 1: Eckerd 2, Webber International 1
Dinelli homered and doubled to provide the extra-base pop in the opener as the offense solved Webber International starter Jessica Sheffield in the middle innings.
Dinelli's solo blast in the top of the fourth inning landed over the left-field fence and put the Tritons on the board before they later added an insurance run.
Freshman
Amber Hay and senior
Chelsea Jeffares also had a pair of hits to help back a six-hit complete-game gem from the starting pitcher Dixson. In her fourth start of the year, Dixson struck out a season-best seven hitters and walked just one.
Dixson carved up the Warriors for six consecutive scoreless innings before an unearned run crossed the plate in the bottom half of the seventh.
Dixson and the EC defense stranded what represented the tying run on third base to end it with a lineout to second base.
Game 2: Eckerd 6, Webber International 1
Junior
Brittany Mitchell broke open a 1-1 tie in the late innings with a two-out, two-run single in the top of the sixth frame as she greeted the new pitcher Sheffield, who entered as a reliever.
Dixson delivered a three-run blast, her first home run as a Triton, in the top half of the seventh inning to help the Tritons pull away from the Warriors in the finale.
Sophomore outfielder
Kaycie Duncan drove in EC's first run of the game with a double that scored Hay in the fourth.
Hay went the distance to collect her second complete game and was brilliant, limiting the WIU hitters to just one run on three hits to go with six strikeouts. She helped her own cause in the circle with a 2-for-4 effort at the plate to go with two runs scored.
Next Up: The Tritons play host to Simon Fraser (B.C.) University in their home opener on Saturday for an afternoon doubleheader at the Turley Athletic Complex. Start time for game one is set for 1 p.m. from St. Petersburg.
