ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Eckerd baseball team hosts Florida Tech for the final series of the year this weekend at the Turley Athletic Complex.
GAMES 48-50: Florida Tech (28-19, 12-9 SSC) at Eckerd College (19-28, 8-13 SSC) |
Friday 6:00 PM | Saturday (DH) 12:00 PM
Turley Athletic Complex
Coverage: Stats | Video
SENIOR DAY:
- The series marks the final home games for five seniors.
Tom Buonopane,
Daniel Autiello,
Andrew Don,
Ben Deaver, and
Jack Mahan will be honored before Saturday's doubleheader.
LAST TIME OUT
- Last weekend Eckerd ended a 12-year drought, beating No. 5 Tampa for the first time since 2005. The Tritons lost the first two games of the series by scores of 16-0 and 20-6 before bouncing back in the finale to win, 11-5.
- In the win, Eckerd scored early with 10 runs in the first four innings.
Chase Achuff drew a bases-loaded walk in the first inning for the game's first run and
Nick Conti repeated Achuff's bases-loaded walk in the second for the next run.
Mitch Calandra drove in two runs in the second with a single to center. Buonopane and Conti continued the Tritons' offense in the third with Buonopane's two-RBI double and Conti's sacrifice fly. In the fourth, Achuff and
Justin Glover each plated a run with singles. Calandra then added an insurance run in the seventh with a single to score
Garrett Hiott.
Robin Allen held Tampa scoreless through four innings before giving way to Mahan in the fifth. Mahan threw 3.1 innings earning the win.
THE A, B, C's of OFFENSE
- Conti (.367), Calandra (.344),
Sam Cochrane (.340),
Tom Buonopane (.312), and Achuff (.281) lead the Tritons at the plate.
- Conti tops the team with a .367/.466/.494 slash line. He leads the team in doubles (14), runs (47), and walks (26) while reaching base safely in all but one game this season.
- Calandra leads Eckerd production driving in 35 runs while lacing 13 doubles and one home run. Calandra hits an impressive .409 in conference games with a .545 slugging percentage as well in SSC games.
- Cochrane has ripped 13 doubles, two triples, and two home runs while stealing 11 bags.
- Buonopane has scored 37 runs while driving in 21 with six doubles and two home runs. Buonopane has also swiped 11 bags.
- Achuff has smacked seven doubles while sitting third on the team in RBIs with 27.
ON THE MOUND
-
Dillon McCollough (6-5) paves the way for Eckerd on the mound. McCollough's innings pitched (77.2), strikeouts (81), strikeouts looking (27), and wins (6) rank in the top of the conference while his 3.71 ERA and .230 opposing batting average best the team.
- Mahan and Allen also produce on the mound. Mahan maintains a 5.14 ERA with 38 strikeouts. Allen has fanned 38 with a 5.09 ERA.
ABOUT THE PANTHERS
- FIT is coming off a series loss to Nova Southeastern two games to one. The Panthers won the finale, 21-5.
- Five members of the Panthers' starting lineup hit over .300 with Reid Neal (.347) and Daniel Szpik (.330) leading the offense. Neal has 16 doubles and nine home runs while Szpik has 12 doubles and 11 home runs while driving in 45.
- Andrew Marzheuser (3.22), Ty Cohen (3.49), and Tyler Deel (4.43) lead the rotation. They each have at least 60 punchouts with Cohen's 64 topping the team. Drew Beyer works in relief with six saves while fanning 32.
LAST TIME THEY MET
- Florida Tech won the series last season two games to one. Eckerd won the opener, 8-7, as McCollough earned the save.
