GULF SHORES, Ala. – The Eckerd softball team provided another exciting win on Saturday evening as
Nikole Van Gennep smashed a double to center field, driving in the winning run to knock off No. 3 West Florida, 4-3. Eckerd fell to Auburn-Montgomery in the day's opener, 3-2, after leading early in the game.
Eckerd battled with West Florida from the beginning. The Tritons took the lead early courtesy of a
Kayelee Newstrom three-run home run. The Argonauts rallied to tie the game in the fifth inning. The two teams remained in a deadlock until the bottom of the seventh. Van Gennep repeated her clutch performance from yesterday's victory, ripping a double to center to drive in
Crystal Garcia from second for the walk-off win.
In the opener, Eckerd jumped out to an early 2-0 lead through three innings. The Warhawks, however, scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth to take the lead which they
held for the remainder of the game.
HOW IT ENDED
vs. Auburn Montgomery
Final: AUM 3, Eckerd 2
Records: Eckerd 1-2, AUM 3-1
All-Time Series: AUM leads, 1-0
WP: Tiffany (1-0)
LP: Van Gennep (1-2)
Sv: Newcomer (1)
vs. No. 3 West Florida
Final: Eckerd 4, West Florida 3
Records: Eckerd 2-2, UWF 2-2
All-Time Series: West Florida leads, 11-2
WP: Van Gennep (2-2)
LP: Perkins (0-2)
KEY MOMENTS
vs. Auburn-Montgomery
- Eckerd jumped out to an early lead, scoring runs in the first and third innings. Garcia opened the game with a single and advanced to third on a Kaleigh Floyd sacrifice bunt and a stolen base. Rachael Luckett brought her home on a sharply-hit ball to first as Garcia slid under the tag at the plate for the first run. Eckerd scored again in the third inning via Carrie Shere's single to left-center bringing in Luckett who walked to lead off the inning.
- The Warhawks rallied for three runs in the fourth to take the lead. AUM led off the inning with a single and quickly brought in the runner on an RBI double. Two batters later, the Warhawks drove in another two runs on a single to left.
- Looking to rally in the sixth, Eckerd put the leadoff runner aboard but was unable to push the tying run across.
vs. West Florida
- Eckerd jumped out early, scoring three runs via Newstrom's three-run blast in the second inning. Luckett led off the frame with a single up the middle and Shere followed with a walk putting two runners on for Newstrom. Newstrom delivered on the 2-1 pitch smoking a ball over the left field fence as Eckerd took a 3-0 lead.
- UWF scored one run in the fourth inning and two in the fifth to even the score. After back-to-back walks forced an Eckerd pitching change, the Argos scored on a sacrifice fly in the fourth. The Argos later loaded the bases in the fifth on an error and two walks, and capitalized by scoring two runs on a single and a bases-loaded walk.
- In the bottom of the seventh, Garcia found her way on with a single and pinch-hitter Madison Saltzman drew a walk. With two runners on, Van Gennep stepped into the box and delivered for the second day in a row lacing a ball to center field while driving in Garcia from second.
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- Kaylin Kramer finished the opening game 3-for-4 at the plate with a double while Van Gennep went 2-for-4 with a double in the finale.
- Newstrom's blast in the second inning against UWF was the first home run of her career.
- Van Gennep factored in both decisions for Eckerd. She threw a complete game in the loss against AUM and earned the victory over UWF while throwing three innings in relief.
UP NEXT
Eckerd will conclude the Gulf Shores Invitational tomorrow facing North Alabama at 9:00 AM (CST) weather permitting.
