Tritons Fall to Ranked Opponents at D9 Citrus Classic

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 KISSIMMEE, Fla. - The Eckerd softball team lost a pair of tight games against nationally-ranked opponents - one in controversial fashion - on Saturday at the D9 Citrus Classic at Disney's ESPN Wide World of Sports.

In the day's opener against No. 4 North Georgia, Chelsea Armstrong appeared to have hit a game-tying home run to lead off the seventh but the elation turned to disappointment when she was called out on appeal for not touching home plate.

Eckerd (8-12) was unable to push across the tying run afterward and fell to the Nighthawks, 3-2.

The Tritons took a 2-0 lead after two innings.  Nikole Van Gennep drove in the game's first run in the bottom of the first with a double, bringing in Rachael Luckett.  Carrie Shere then crossed home plate in the second inning on a passed ball with the bases loaded.

UNG cut the lead in half with a sacrifice fly in the fourth and took the lead in the fifth, scoring twice after stringing together three straight singles with two outs.

Eckerd had a chance to retake the lead in the bottom of the fifth, loading the bases with two outs, but UNG pitcher Bria Bush coaxed a pop-up to end the threat.

Working in relief, Grace Willeck retired the side in both the sixth and seventh innings to give the Tritons a chance to rally.  It appeared they did on Armstrong's shot that carried over the left field fence before the appeal call erased it.

Janna Gaburo (1-2) took the loss, allowing two earned runs in 4-2/3 innings pitched.  Willeck retired seven straight in relief after giving up a single to her first batter.  Armstrong went 2-for-3 at the plate to lead the offense.

In the second game, No. 17 Armstrong State (Ga.) avenged yesterday's loss to Eckerd with a 3-1 win.

The Pirates scored two runs in the bottom of the second inning after loading the bases with one out.

Dana Paul's single in the fourth inning scored Luckett from third and cut the deficit in half, but ASU got the run back in the bottom of the inning on a two-out RBI double by Logan Harrell.

Armstrong State pitcher Sierra Peebles stranded four runners in the final three innings to preserve the win.

Van Gennep (5-9) was saddled with the loss, allowing two runs in two innings.  Willeck and Madison Saltzman also tossed two innings in relief.  Shere led EC with two hits.

The Tritons wrap up the weekend on Sunday morning, taking on Spring Hill (Ala.) at 9:30 AM.