Box Score ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Despite the strong winds and cold air, the Eckerd College baseball team defeated Ave Maria University on Wednesday night, 4-3.
The offenses were quiet on both sides through the first three and a half innings of play.
Jake O'Rourke reached first in the bottom of the third inning on a miscue by the Gyrenes.
Lucas Luopa stung a ball to the second baseman who could not handle the hot shot allowing O'Rourke to scamper across home plate for the first run of the game.
Ave Maria was able to knot the game up at 1-1 scoring a run on a sac fly in the top of the fourth.
James Petika quickly answered back with the bat driving a single through the right side to bring in
Mike Abraham who had previously reached on an infield single.
Andy Hernandez of the Gyrenes tripled down the right field line with two runners on in the sixth inning to give his team a slim one run lead, 3-2. The Triton offense was shut down in the bottom half of the sixth, but battled back in the seventh.
Grant Banko led off the inning with a single up the middle. Petika then reached on a sacrifice bunt attempt to put two runners on. O'Rourke moved both runners into scoring position giving himself up on a bunt.
Adam Moreau flew out to left field, but it was deep enough to score the runner from third to tie the ball game.
Carter Cashman followed Moreau with a single to right field scoring the go ahead run in Petika.
Starting pitcher
Ben Deaver and reliever
Jack Silberman combined to go six innings, giving up three runs while striking out five. The bullpen was able to shut any threat down by the Gyrenes in the final two innings giving the Tritons the 4-3 victory.
Mike Eagan earned his first win of the season.
Jared Habershaw,
Kyle Harding and
Taylor Owens were stellar in relief with Owens getting the save.
Eckerd (5-2) will begin conference play this weekend against Rollins College (5-4) on the road. The first game of the three games series will begin on Friday with first pitch coming at 6 p.m.
