ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Junior
Carolyn Griffin homered and doubled as the Eckerd College softball program closed out an afternoon doubleheader on a strong note to split with Ave Maria University on Saturday, falling 2-1 and prevailing 9-2.
Junior
Erin Dixson also drilled a home run, her second of the spring, to help deliver win No. 97 in the coaching career of EC's
Josh Beauregard.
The Tritons (7-6, 0-0 SSC) had their eye on history against the Gyrenes (7-7, 0-0 TSC), coming into today just two consecutive wins away from matching the school's all-time record of eight straight victories set in 1987.
Eckerd had swept three opponents to assemble the six-game win streak, but are more than content with being winners in seven of their last eight contests.
The Tritons had an impressive streak of 22 consecutive scoreless innings put together against their opponents before Ave Maria was able to get on the board during the fourth inning of game one.
Game 1 – Ave Maria 2, Eckerd 1
Ave Maria's left-handed starting pitcher Emily Lemin tamed the hot Eckerd bats for a brief time, striking out 11 in her complete-game four hitter that yielded an unearned run.
The Tritons had a brief 1-0 lead after pop-up on the infield was dropped by Lemin and the deflected ball rolled to the backstop.
The Gyrenes manufactured the tying run in the fourth and the go-ahead score in the fifth frame. Eckerd loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh inning, but Lemin was able to escape the jam.
Game 2 – Eckerd 9, Ave Maria 2
Griffin doubled to left center to open up the floodgates as the Tritons poured on six runs in the second inning. Eckerd batted around as senior
Chelsea Jeffares tripled home a pair of runs and crossed the plate on the same sequence after an errant relay throw.
Dixson crushed a home run to straightaway center field to chase Ave Maria starter Caitlin Constance to score sophomore
Kaycie Duncan.
Griffin led off the bottom half of the third inning by depositing the first pitch she saw from Cheyenne Benson over the fence in left-center.
Griffin nearly had a two-home game as her double in the second inning crashed against the wall. She also pitched the final three innings to close out game two for her first save.
The Tritons hammered out 11 hits to back starting pitcher
Amber Hay, who picked up her fourth win in the circle.
Up Next: The Tritons will take the field at the Turley Athletic Complex on Monday afternoon for a 4 p.m. doubleheader against NAIA-affiliated Goshen (Ind.) College.
