Box Score BABSON PARK, Fla. - Year two of the
Juan Ranero era of Eckerd baseball got off to a good start on Wednesday night as the Tritons picked up a 10-3 victory over Webber International (Fla.) to open the 2016 season.
There was much for Ranero to be pleased with, not the least of which was the performance of an offense that pounded out 16 hits.
"I was happy with how we swung the bat," he said. "We got good production top to bottom and had four freshmen get hits."
The Tritons (1-0) blew the game open in the final two innings, scoring four times in the eighth and twice in the ninth including a two-run home run by
Nick Hill. Ten different players record a hit with five recording multiple hits.
Eckerd got on the board in the top of the second inning on an RBI groundout by
Grant Banko, then added another run in the third when
Zach Mitsmenn scored from third on a wild pitch.
Daniel Autiello made it a 3-0 lead with a sacrifice fly in the sixth and, after WIU broke up the shutout with a solo homerun,
Mitchell Calandra got the run back with a two-out RBI single.
The Tritons then put the game out of reach with a four-run eighth inning, everything coming with two outs. Banko,
Matt MacMahon and
Jake Romine all had run-scoring hits in the inning. Hill then capped off the game with a two-run shot in the ninth.
Meanwhile,
Kevin Plant (1-0) was solid on the mound throwing four scoreless innings while striking out five.
"Kevin put us in a good position to expand the lead," said Ranero. "Eventually our bats just came alive and we broke the game open."
The Tritons ran into a bit of trouble in the ninth inning as the Warriors scored twice and still had the bases loaded with no outs, but
Taylor Owens quickly closed the door.
Calandra led Eckerd at the plate, going 3-for-5 in his college debut. Mitsmenn, MacMahon,
Rowdy Andrews and
Nick Conti each had two hits.
The Tritons now prepare for their home opener to be played this weekend as they host Flagler (Fla.) College on Friday at 6:00 PM followed by a Saturday double-header beginning at 12:00 PM.
