Tritons Explode Late to Sweep Twinbill from Montevallo

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - A pair of late-game outbursts fueled the Eckerd baseball team on Saturday as the Tritons took both ends of a doubleheader from the University of Montevallo (Ala.), 8-4 and 15-14, to win the weekend series.

Eckerd (2-1) scored 16 runs in the seventh and eighth innings in the twinbill, twice coming from behind to knock off the Falcons after they won Friday night's opener with their own ninth-inning rally.

In the opener, Montevallo took a 3-0 lead after two innings before Eckerd starter Alex Moore settled in, retiring 12 of the next 13 batters he faced.

The Tritons got on the board in the bottom of the fourth when Justin Glover roped a two-run double to right field, scoring both Garrett Hiott and Mitch Calandra.

Eckerd later took the lead with a five-run seventh getting RBIs from Sam Cochrane, Nick Conti, Jamaal Chaney, Glover and Tyler Koser.

Conti then plated Tom Buonopane in the eighth via an RBI groundout to put the Tritons ahead, 8-3.

Derek Lamensdorf tossed perfect frames in the seventh and eighth innings but ran into a bit of trouble in the ninth after giving up a hit and three walks as the Falcons scored one and had the bases loaded with the tying run at the plate.  Joey Favetta came on in relief and fanned UM leadoff hitter Khari Anderson to secure the win.

Lamensdorf (1-0) picked up the win in relief of Moore, who allowed three hits and struck out six in the no-decision.

In the finale, both teams plated three runs in the first inning.  EC answered the Falcons with a run-scoring single from Conti and a two-RBI triple from Hiott to tie the game.  EC took the lead one inning later on a two-out RBI double by Cochrane.

Meanwhile, Eckerd starter Kevin Kane shook off his rough start to shut down the Falcons over the next six innings retiring 18 of 20 batters from the second through seventh innings.

Montevallo, however, chased Kane in the eighth after he allowed back-to-back singles, leading to a six-run inning as the Tritons went through three relievers to get out of the inning.

But Eckerd responded in the bottom of the inning, scoring 10 runs to take a 15-9 lead.  The Tritons sent 16 batters to the plate in the inning as Chase Achuff, Cochrane, Conti, Hiott, Koser, Glover and Jake Romine each delivered RBIs.

As it turned out, Eckerd needed every run. Montevallo plated six more in the top of the ninth and had the tying run on third base before Lucas Spetsas recorded the final out.

Favetta (1-0) earned the win in relief in the second game while Spetsas picked up his first career save.

Conti went 3-for-5 in the opener while Hiott had a pair of hits.  Cochrane and Romine led the way in the second game with three hits each with Conti and Hiott delivering two apiece.

The Tritons return to the field on Wednesday, hosting Webber International (Fla.) at 6:00 PM.