Tritons Play Long Ball to Defeat Cougars

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The offense let loose for the Eckerd College softball team in Thursday's double header against Colorado Christian University. The long ball helped push the Tritons to a 7-0 win in game one before taking game two, 6-3.

Sydney Dinelli, who came into the game slugging over .500, wasted no time getting her team on the board in the first inning. Dinelli deposited an inside pitch over the scoreboard in left field to begin what would become a slugfest for the EC offense.

In the bottom of the second inning in her first at bat of the season, Erin Dixson crushed a line drive over the center field wall for the team's second long ball of the game. Chelsea Armstrong followed Dixson with a single through the left side. Rachael Luckett stepped into the box and put a ball over the right center field fence for a two run shot putting her team up 4-0.

Amber Hay tripled in Dinelli from second in the third inning. Armstrong then grabbed her second hit of the game for an RBI single. EC remained scoreless over the next two innings until Carrie Shere unloaded for her first collegiate home run, a solo shot over the left center field wall.

Hay toed the rubber for Eckerd and went six strong innings not allowing a run and striking out three on her way to her fourth win of the season. Carolyn Griffin shut down the Cougar offense in the seventh to clinch the 7-0 victory.

CCU took an early lead in game two scoring a run in the second, third and fourth inning to jump out to a 3-0 lead. The Eckerd offense did all of their damage in the bottom half of the fourth.

Dixson came up with Kaycie Duncan and Kiana Sladicki already in scoring position. The right handed swinger drove a single up the middle scoring both runners. Armstrong continued to swing the hot bat roping a double to right center moving Dixson to third. Brittany Mitchell gave the Tritons their first lead of the game with a two RBI single. Shere put the exclamation point on the inning hitting her second home run of the day to take a 6-3 lead.

Dixson went four innings before handing the ball over to Hay who shut the Cougars down the rest of the way to secure the 6-3 victory. For Dixson, it was her first win of the season while Hay earned the saved.

Eckerd (7-2) will be back on the diamond Sunday to host Palm Beach Atlantic (5-2). First pitch is slated for noon.