No. 1 Nova Southeastern Downs Eckerd in SSC Opener

Box Score ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Eckerd baseball team led the defending national champions for four innings, but a four-run fifth helped lift No. 1 Nova Southeastern to a 9-3 win over the Tritons on Friday in the opening game of weekend series.

Eckerd (3-8, 0-1 SSC) scored three times in the first inning as its first five runners reached base safely.  Sam Cochrane led things off with a single and Nick Conti was put on base after being hit by a pitch.  Tom Buonopane then legged out an infield single to load the bases, and Mitch Calandra and Garrett Hiott both drew walks to bring in the first two runs for Eckerd.

Chase Achuff's sacrifice fly gave the Tritons a 3-0 lead after the first inning.

Justin Glover came within inches of doubling the score as he hit a towering shot to right field, but NSU's Andrew Liberty robbed him of a home run by grabbing the ball over the top of the fence.

Dillon McCollough worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the first, striking out both Jake Anchia and Kevin Suarez to end the inning.  The sophomore held NSU scoreless through four innings and retired the first two batters of the fifth before running into trouble.

An infield single followed by a hit batsman and a walk loaded the bases for cleanup hitter Brandon Gomez, who lined a two-strike double off the glove of a diving Achuff at third base.  One batter later, Anchia slipped a single up the middle off reliever Jake Mahan to put the Sharks ahead, 4-3.

NSU (9-2, 1-0 SSC) added three runs in the seventh and two in the ninth while the duo of Devin Meyer and Derik Beauprez held Eckerd scoreless over the final eight innings.

The Tritons had chances in both the fifth and sixth innings against Meyer, putting runners on second and third with two outs in both frames.  Meyer (2-1), however, was able to coax groundouts to end the inning each time.

Beauprez, a heralded transfer from the University of Miami, tossed three perfect innings of relief to earn the save in his season debut.

McCullough (0-2) took the loss despite 4-2/3 solid innings of work, striking out seven batters.  Three pitchers worked in relief for Eckerd, with Jarid Salisbury retiring the two batters he faced in the ninth.  The Triton pitching staff combined to fan 13 hitters.

Cochrane went 2-for-5 to extend his hitting streak to 11 games while Conti pushed his streak of reaching base safely to 11, although his 10-game hitting streak came to an end.  Buonopane, Calandra, Achuff, Glover and Terence Hebda also had hits for Eckerd.

The conference-opening series concludes on Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at noon.