MELBOURNE, Fla. – The Eckerd College baseball team halted a four-year losing streak to Sunshine State Conference opponent Florida Tech, picking up two impressive wins
on Saturday afternoon, both by respective scores of 3-2.
The Tritons (14-6, 4-2 SSC) snapped the Panthers (17-8, 2-4 SSC) 13-game head-to-head run in the doubleheader sweep. Prior to today, the last time Eckerd had beaten Florida Tech was a 6-5 win in the spring of 2009.
It was also the first series win for the Tritons against Florida Tech since the 2007 season.
Eckerd has now won five of its last six games and while claiming back-to-back SSC series wins over No. 25 Nova Southeastern University (
NCBWA) and No. 6 Florida Tech (
Collegiate Baseball News).
Game 1 - Eckerd 3, Florida Tech 2
The Tritons came from behind to steal game one in dramatic fashion, scoring three runs while down to their final three outs.
It was not until the top of the ninth that Eckerd's bats warmed up and the Tritons totaled five hits while wearing the rally caps.
Sophomore
Rowdy Andrews got the inning started with a single and advanced to second one out later on a
Mike Abraham single. Senior
Mike Vavasis kept the inning alive, singling through the left side of the infield to load up the bases.
Hanson and sophomore
Carter Cashman each followed with consecutive singles to account for all three of the Tritons' runs.
Sophomore
Nick Hill picked up his first win of the season in relief. Hill tossed 4.1 innings and allowed no runs on three hits and one walk and struck out five.
Sophomore
Taylor Owens picked up the save, his fourth of the spring, recording the final out of the game on a fly out.
Panthers' starting pitcher Scotty Ward tossed 8.1 innings and would ultimately take the loss. He did not allow a Tritons' base runner until the fifth inning when senior
Chris Hanson snapped his bid for a perfect game.
Game 2 - Eckerd 3, Florida Tech 2
Eckerd carried its ninth-inning offense into the first inning of game two, with Cashman scoring on a single up the middle from Abraham.
The Tritons added to their lead in the top of the second inning with sophomore
Grant Banko singled and later scored on a sacrifice bunt by freshman
Lucas Luopa.
But the Panthers were not down and out yet as they tabbed two runs to tie the game at two in their half of the second inning on an RBI bunt from Ray Maggi and an RBI single from Trent Masih.
After three scoreless innings on both sides, Eckerd broke up the tie in the sixth. Cashman led off the inning with a double down the left field line and scored on a wild pitch for a 3-2 EC lead.
Eckerd's starting pitcher
Jimmy Gutowski collected his second complete game of the year and improved to 6-0 in six appearances. After the Panthers scored in the second inning, Gutowski allowed just two runners to reach base for the remainder of the game.
Gutowski allowed two runs on four hits and two walks and struck out four.
Up Next: The Tritons return home
on Monday to face West Chester (Pa.) University in a non-conference game at
6 p.m. at the Turley Athletic Complex.
Live stats and video will be available for the game on
www.EckerdTritons.com.
