Box Score LAKELAND, Fla. – The Eckerd College baseball team began a three game series against Florida Southern on Friday with the Tritons grabbing the 9-4 victory in game one.
Both squads came out firing on all cylinders. EC took and early 1-0 lead in the top of the first when
Lucas Luopa drove a double down the right field line to score
Rowdy Andrews from third. The initial lead did not last long with the Mocs plating two runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning to go up, 2-1.
Eckerd's big inning came in the third when the team plated four runs on four hits. Back to back single from Andrews and
Zach Mitsmenn got the inning started. Luopa brought Andrews around to score for the second time in the game with the third consecutive base hit for the Tritons. Mitsmenn and Luopa took advantage of a defensive miscue adding to more runs. A hot shot from
Matt MacMahon to right field sent
Carter Cashman scampering around third and across home plate to put his team up 5-2.
Florida Southern was able to get one run back in the bottom of the third. Cashman made it a three run ball game once again in the fifth inning with his team leading fifth home run of the season.
Jake O'Rourke represented the seventh run of the game and Luopa's third RBI in the top of the sixth on a fielder's choice. EC added two more runs one inning later with a two run shot from O'Rourke to take a 9-3 lead.
The Mocs added their final run of the game in the eighth with
Zach Hoppe shutting the door in the final three innings of play helping his team collect the 9-4 victory.
Jack Silberman struck out four moving his record to 4-3 on the season. Hoppe garnered his first save of the year.
EC totaled 13 hits in the game as a team. Andrews tallied three base hits while scoring twice. Luopa, Cashman and O'Rourke added two hits apiece while combining for six RBIs.
Eckerd (17-23, 5-12) will be back on the diamond Saturday for games two and three of the series. The double header is expected to begin at 1 pm.
