Tritons Tally 12 Hits in 8-5 Win over Ave Maria

Box Score ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Eckerd baseball team will head into a six-day layoff on a positive note as the Tritons got back in the win column after an 8-5 victory over Ave Maria (Fla.) on Wednesday night at the Turley Athletic Complex.

The Tritons (3-6) jumped ahead early and then, after Ave Maria tied the game, used a four-run fifth inning to retake control.

Eckerd plated two runs in the bottom of the first on an RBI single by Nick Conti and a sacrifice fly by Chase Achuff.  Tom Buonopane added a sacrifice fly in the third to give EC a 3-0 lead.

The Gyrenes briefly tied the game with a three-run fourth, but another Nick Conti RBI single in the bottom of the frame gave the lead back to Eckerd.

The Tritons then scored four times in the fifth getting run-scoring hits from Terence Hebda and Garrett Hiott while also taking advantage of a pair of AMU errors.

Ave Maria managed to trim the deficit with runs in the sixth and ninth innings and had the go-ahead run at the plate in the ninth, but Jack Mahan struck out Andy Hernandez with the bases loaded to end the game. 

Eckerd started the game aggressively with four hits in the first inning.  The Tritons ended with 12 hits, tied for the most in a game this season.  The team also swiped a season-high four bases with two from Hebda and one each from Conti and Sam Cochrane.  All four steals led to EC runs.

Seven pitchers worked no more than two innings for Eckerd.  Kevin Kane (1-1) picked up the win tossing a hitless inning of relief and striking out two.  Dillon McCullough threw two innings in a short start, allowing only one hit and fanning five.

Conti led the Eckerd offense with a 3-for-5 performance while Cochrane and Mitch Calandra both had two hits.

Eckerd has a rare weekend off before returning to the field on Tuesday, February 21, to host Southeastern (Fla.) at 6:00 PM.