ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Eckerd College baseball team extended its win streak to five straight after compiling a late offensive surge to sink Rollins College on Friday night at the Turley Athletic Complex, 9-3.
The Tritons (17-6, 5-2 SSC) have now won seven of their last eight and will look to complete their third consecutive Sunshine State Conference series win following a doubleheader against the Tars (12-12, 0-7 SSC) tomorrow afternoon.
Eckerd is also looking to enhance its current status at No. 9 in the most recent edition of the South Region rankings. The Tritons also moved to solo third in the updated SSC standings since Florida Southern College has a weekend series against non-conference opponent Palm Beach Atlantic University.
The Tars took an early 2-0 lead in the fourth inning beginning with a two-out walk to freshman Mike Purcell. Yuta Okazaki, Hunter Mayfield and Tyler Fairbanks each followed with singles, respectively, to score both runs.
Senior
Chris Hanson got the Tritons' offense started in the bottom half of the fourth, driving a two-out solo home run over the right-field fence, his first of the spring season. Hanson's blast also snapped Rollins starter Matt Hendricks' attempt at a perfect game/no-hit bid.
Rollins added another run in the sixth on two Tritons' errors, but its lead would not last long as Eckerd took advantage of two Tars' defensive mistakes and a bunt for a hit from sophomore
Rowdy Andrews to tie the game at three in the bottom of the inning.
After Hendricks tossed seven complete innings, the Eckerd offense was able to fare considerably better against the middle relief of Rollins.
Eckerd tabbed five runs against Seth Brunner before forcing a pitching change, but sophomore
Matt MacMahon welcomed him with a double down the left-field line to score the final run of the inning.
Senior
Richard Cruz-Sanchez got the start for the Tritons and threw six strong innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits and one walk and struck out three.
Sophomore
Taylor Owens finished out the game on the mound for Eckerd and earned his first win of the year. Owens retired the side in the eighth and faced the minimum number of batters as the Tritons turned a 4-6-3 double play later in the ninth.
Andrews, MacMahon and senior
Lincoln Dunham each collected two hits in the win. Dunham also added two-run RBI on a triple flared to the deep part of right field on a payoff pitch, while Andrews scored two runs.
Junior
Mike Abraham went 1-for-3 and provided three RBI and one run scored.
Tomorrow's doubleheader will begin at 12 p.m. at the Turley Athletic Complex. Live stats and video will be available on
www.EckerdTritons.com.
