Box Score ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – A three game series started on Thursday night between the Eckerd College softball team and the University of Tampa with the Spartans taking game one, 4-1.
A classic pitcher's duel ensued at the Turley Athletic Complex between
Amber Hay and Tampa's Julia Morrow. Both pitchers went the distance for the complete game tallying a combined 19 strikeouts and just one walk.
Morrow did not allow a base runner until the fourth inning when
Kaycie Duncan led off with a single through the left side. Duncan stole second and moved over to third on an error, but would be stranded as the inning came to an end.
Hay sat down UT in order to end the top of the sixth. In the bottom half of the inning, Duncan managed to reach first for the second time, but again was unable to be brought around to score.
A devastating top of the seventh that saw four runs score on four hits and two errors put the Spartans up, 4-0. Down to their final three outs,
Kara Oberer led off the bottom half with her team leading 12th home run of the season. Morrow was able to get the next three batters out to grab the 4-1 victory in game one of the series.
All four runs registered to Hay were unearned giving her the complete game loss. The senior's record moves to 16-7 on the season while boasting a 2.36 ERA.
Eckerd (27-10, 8-8) will take on UT in double header action Friday afternoon with game one set to start at 5 pm.
