Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 TAMPA, Fla. – The Eckerd offense erupted for 10 runs through the first four innings in Saturday's finale to split a doubleheader with No. 5 Tampa and bring a close to a lengthy drought in the process.
After falling in the front end of the twinbill, 20-6, EC bounced back with an 11-5 win for the program's first victory over Tampa since 2005.
Drawing 13 walks in the game, the Tritons' first two runs were attributed to their patience at the plate. In the first inning, after
Garrett Hiott's single,
Mitch Calandra and
Sam Cochrane drew back-to-back walks on full counts to load the bases for
Chase Achuff. Achuff then drew another walk for Eckerd's first run.
Eckerd (19-28, 8-13 SSC) chased Tampa's starting pitcher, Mark Moclair, out of the game in the second inning after loading the bases once again.
Nick Conti then drew another free bag bringing in the first of four runs in the inning.
Later in the second,
Reid Zitzelburg crossed the plate on a wild pitch before Calandra drove in Conti and Hiott via a single to center.
Tom Buonopane and Conti continued to add to Eckerd's lead, plating three runs in the third. Buonopane laced a bases-loaded double to left bringing in two runs, and Conti followed with a sacrifice fly bringing in Zitzelburg.
The Tritons scored another two runs in the fourth off back-to-back RBI singles by Achuff and
Justin Glover.
Robin Allen, meanwhile, solved the Spartan bats early in the game, keeping Tampa scoreless through four innings. The freshman performed with the poise of an upperclassman, stranding seven runners including leaving the bases loaded in the bottom of the fourth.
Tampa (34-12, 17-4 SSC) finally got the Allen in the fifth, chasing him with two outs after plating three runs.
Jack Mahan entered in relief and recorded the final out of the inning to end the Spartan threat.
Like Allen, Mahan continually worked out of jams to keep Tampa's offense at bay. Mahan (3-1) stranded two in the fifth, three in the sixth, two in the seventh and two in the eighth while allowing just one run to score.
Calandra, Glover, and
Daniel Autiello had two hits apiece in the win.
The day's opener began the same as the finale with Eckerd taking an early lead thanks to two runs in the first inning. However, the lead did not last long as Tampa erupted for seven runs in the bottom of the inning. The Tritons followed with two more in the third but couldn't keep up with a Spartan offense that hit six home runs in the game.
Nick Alonzo (0-1) took the loss in the opener, lasting three innings while allowing 10 runs. Hiott collected three hits in the loss while Calandra had two.
Eckerd returns home next weekend for the final games of the season for a three-game series with Florida Tech. The first game is scheduled for Friday at 6:00 PM with Senior Day scheduled for Saturday.
