ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Eckerd College softball program sustained its record-breaking season by bucking another trend in an additional head-to-head series with an impressive win against Barry University during Senior Day on Good Friday, 4-1.
Although not the final home game for the Tritons (24-21, 9-11 SSC) with rescheduled doubleheaders against Southeastern University and Webber International University looming ahead next week, Eckerd celebrated the careers of
Whitney Bernier,
Nazley Wilson and
Chelsea Jeffares, this morning.
Jeffares played in her 207th career game and Wilson earned the starting nod in center field while Bernier continues to be sidelined with an unfortunate foot injury that kept her out of action.
The trio had family members join them in the pregame festivities with Jeffares' parents from Treasure Island, Wilson's parents from Columbia, S.C., and Bernier's grandparents from Cape Coral, all in attendance.
Both teams were scheduled to originally play a doubleheader on Thursday, but a 10-inning affair that almost went four hours altered the start time for today's games with forecasted weather potentially an issue.
Eckerd and Barry were able to fit one game in with a 10:15 a.m. start and eventually split the Sunshine State Conference series after weather forced the issue. Eckerd, Barry, Florida Southern College and Saint Leo University, all entered today with an 8-11 record in the league tied for fourth.
Sophomore
Kara Oberer launched her seventh home run of the spring, a two-run blast in the bottom of the sixth inning that sealed the final decision and helped complete a one-run rally.
Amber Hay stymied the Barry offense with a complete-game four hitter, locking down the Buccaneers (24-18, 8-12 SSC) for one run while racking up four strikeouts. She also struck out six hitters in four innings last night in relief.
In game two, the Tritons carried a 4-3 lead just two pitches into the top of the fourth inning before an official lightning delay was called at 1:27 p.m. Shortly after, heavy rains ripped through and a tornado warning followed, rendering the Turley Athletic Complex unplayable with standing water all over the field.
The progress of game two does not count to any statistics or records for either team.
Eckerd was closing in on what had the potential to become the first series win against the Buccaneers in school history before the final ruling was handed down and Barry headed back to Miami Shores. The game will not be rescheduled.
The Tritons beat Barry for just the seventh time in program history while continuing to pile on to the team's single-season win record. The Buccaneers held an 84-6 all-time edge in head-to-head matchups coming into this week's series.
Eckerd returns to the Turley Athletic Complex to take on Southeastern on Monday for a 5 p.m. doubleheader.
