Box Score TAMPA, Fla. – Led by All-American ace Kayla Cox, fourth-ranked University of Tampa was able to earn a Sunshine State Conference series-opening victory against the Eckerd College softball program on Friday night, 3-0.
Cox hurled a one-hitter and the accompanying shutout for the league-leading Spartans (25-4, 13-3 SSC) as Jenna Halper tripled and had a pair of RBI against the Tritons (18-16, 5-8 SSC).
Thanks to nine total hits, Tampa scratched out runs against the Tritons in the bottom of the second, fourth and sixth innings.
Eckerd senior leadoff hitter
Chelsea Jeffares spoiled Cox's no-hit bid with a single to begin the fourth inning. She also drew one of two walks issued by the North Carolina State University transfer.
Jeffares' new season line of .327 continues to lead the team this spring.
Junior
Erin Dixson went four full innings, giving up just two runs on six hits and junior
Amber Hay closed it out with two innings of one-run ball.
Cox struck out nine batters in the complete-game effort to move to 12-3 on the season.
Eckerd and Tampa will meet again tomorrow at the Naimoli Family Field for a doubleheader to close out the weekend SSC series. Game one is scheduled to get underway at 1 p.m.
