Mocs Showcase Power in Sweep of Tritons

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 LAKELAND, Fla. - No. 22 Florida Southern completed a weekend sweep of the Eckerd baseball team on Saturday, taking both ends of a doubleheader by scores of 16-6 and 8-1.

The Mocs (21-6, 6-3 SSC) erupted for 18 hits in the opening game including two three-run home runs and a two-run shot.

The Tritons (12-17, 4-8 SSC) managed to rough up the conference's ERA leader, Jake Walsh, tagging him for six runs in 5-2/3 innings pitched.  The biggest damage came in the sixth inning when Steven Salisbury blasted a grand slam over the right field fence to pull EC within four runs at 10-6.  Daniel Autiello also drew a bases-loaded walk as Eckerd scored five in the frame.

FSC, however, answered with six runs in the seventh on the strength of two home runs.

Florida Southern scored in the bottom of the first before Eckerd tied it in the top of the second on an RBI single by Chase Achuff.  The Mocs, however, took control of the game by scoring nine runs in the third through fifth innings.

The Tritons used six pitchers in the game with Robin Allen (1-3) taking the loss after allowing four runs in three innings as the starter.  Luis Duran tossed 1-2/3 innings of scoreless relief to finish the game.

Achuff and Salisbury led the way at the plate with two hits each.

In the finale, the Mocs chased Eckerd's Dillon McCollough after three innings and scored four times in the seventh to build a sizable cushion.

The Tritons struggled to generate offense against the trio of Chase Pilato (3-1), J.T. Hintzen and A.J. Smith.  The three combined to allow just five hits and strike out 13.

Eckerd's lone run came in the fourth inning when Justin Glover singled up the middle with two outs to bring in Garrett Hiott.

FSC continued to showcase its power in the final game with two more home runs, both two-run blasts.  The Mocs hit seven homers in the three-game series.

McCollough (2-3) took the loss, lasting three innings while giving up four runs.

Nick Conti had two hits in the game, extending his streak of reaching base safely to 29 games.  He was hitless in Saturday's opener but was hit by a pitch to keep his streak alive.

The Tritons return to the field on Tuesday with a visit to Warner (Fla.) University before hosting Ave Maria (Fla.) on Wednesday.