ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Eckerd Softball team dropped an extra inning affair at the Turley Athletic Complex on Friday night to open conference play falling to Embry-Riddle, 5-3, in eight innings. The Tritons rallied from a 3-1 deficit to force the game into extra innings but were unable to walk away with the victory.
Eckerd quickly took the lead in the contest, scoring in the opening frame on a
Meredith McGinnis single. The Eagles then scored three runs in the third inning to take a 3-1 lead before the Tritons evened the score with runs in the fifth and sixth innings. Neither team was able to push the winning run across in the seventh, forcing the contest into extra innings. Embry-Riddle then took control in the eighth with two runs to take the lead and Eckerd was retired in order in the bottom of the inning.
HOW IT ENDED
Final: Embry-Riddle 5, Eckerd 3 (8 Innings)
Records: Eckerd (3-6, 0-1 SSC), Embry-Riddle (4-2, 1-0 SSC)
All-Time Series: Embry-Riddle leads, 6-1
WP: Andringa (3-2)
LP: Van Gennep (3-4)
KEY MOMENTS
- Crystal Garcia reached on an error to lead off the home half of the first inning and soon moved to third after a stolen base and a Nikole Van Gennep fly out. McGinnis then drove her home on an infield single giving Eckerd an early 1-0 lead.
- The Eagles took the lead in the third inning with three runs. After a Maggie Scott single, Kailah Rain followed singling up the middle to score the first run. Rain was later brought around after taking advantage of a Triton throwing error. The final run of the inning crossed on a Miranda Pereira single up the middle.
- The Tritons rallied to tie the game scoring one run in both the fifth and sixth innings. In the fifth inning, a Kaleigh Floyd two-out single to right center drove in Chelsea Armstrong, who led off the inning with a single. Dana Paul followed the next inning to tie the game at 3-3 by laying down a perfectly-placed squeeze bunt bringing in Carrie Shere, who tripled down the left field line.
- After a quick seventh inning by both teams, the game went into extra innings. After the Eagles led off the extra frame with a single, Eckerd was able to coax two quick outs before ERAU strung together back-to-back RBI singles to take a 5-3 lead. Embry-Riddle's Ilona Andringa then retired the side in order in the bottom of the inning for the win.
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- McGinnis and Armstrong led Eckerd with two hits each of Eckerd's eight hits. McGinnis, Paul, and Floyd each drove in a run as well.
- Van Gennep threw a complete game while striking out seven and giving up five runs (three earned) in the loss.
- With a single in the fourth inning, Van Gennep extended her hitting streak to six games.
UP NEXT
Eckerd concludes the three-game series with Embry-Riddle tomorrow with a doubleheader slated for noon.
