Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 SAINT LEO, Fla. - The Eckerd softball team held its own against one of the top teams in the nation, but dropped a pair of extra-inning contests to No. 10 Saint Leo University on Saturday afternoon, 4-3 (9 innings) and 5-4 (8 innings).
In both games, the Tritons were able to score off the Lions' starting pitcher Alison Mitts but were shut down in the late innings by Stephanie Adkins.
In the first game, EC lost 4-3 thanks to a walk-off home run by SLU's Samantha Ohmie with two outs in the ninth.
Eckerd (11-18, 0-6 SSC) was able to set the tone of the game after jumping out to an early 1-0 lead in the second.
Kaylin Kramer smacked a double to center, driving in
Nikole Van Gennep who singled to start the inning.
The Lions pushed a run across in the third before adding another two more in the fourth to take a 3-1 lead.
Eckerd responded in the sixth inning to tie the game.
Kaleigh Floyd singled to start the inning and moved to third on a passed ball and a groundout.
Rachael Luckett brought Floyd in on a fielder's choice and advanced to third, setting the stage for
Dana Paul to drive a ball up the middle and score Luckett to tie the game at 3-3.
Eckerd put two runners on in the eighth but failed to push them across. Luckett singled to lead off the inning and eventually reached third with one out but Adkins left her and Van Gennep stranded.
Van Gennep (7-13) also worked out of a jam in the eighth, leaving the bases loaded, before Ohmie's game-winning blast in the ninth.
In the second game, Eckerd jumped out to an early lead scoring four runs in the first three innings but was unable to hold onto it.
Eckerd scored twice in the first inning on three hits. After
Crystal Garcia singled, Luckett sent her home by ripping a double into left-center.
Chelsea Armstrong followed with a single to score Luckett.
In the third inning, Van Gennep smacked a two-run home run to center to bring in Luckett, who singled to lead off the inning, and give EC a 4-0 lead.
Saint Leo (21-6, 4-2 SSC) was able to get a run back in the third and two runs in the fourth before plating the tying run in the sixth as Sarah Pauscher scored off an Eckerd fielding error.
The Tritons left a runner on base in both the seventh and eighth innings, and Saint Leo had three hits in the bottom of the eighth with the last bringing in the game-winning run.
Grace Willeck (2-3) took the loss in game two, pitching 4.1 innings of relief while fanning five.
In the finale, Eckerd totaled a season-high 14 hits. Luckett and
Kayelee Newstrom had three hits apiece while Floyd, Armstrong, and Van Gennep each had two.
Eckerd returns home next weekend hosting Rollins College for a three-game series, with the first game Saturday at 4:00 PM
