ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - A five-run sixth inning pushed the Eckerd softball team to a win in the opening game of a Saturday doubleheader against Barry, but a four-run seventh by the Buccaneers in the finale gave Barry enough cushion to take the series.
A
Meredith McGinnis grand slam with two outs capped the Triton comeback in game one before Barry expanded a 2-1 lead in the seventh inning of the final game scoring four times. The Tritons rallied in the home half of the inning with two runs and nearly added more but
Chelsea Armstrong was robbed of a run-scoring hit on a diving catch.
HOW IT ENDED
Game 1
Final: Eckerd 6, Barry 4
WP: Gaburo (3-5)Â
LP: Falcon (11-9)Â
HR: Shere (4), McGinnis (4)
Game 2
Final: Barry 6, Eckerd 3
WP: Santos (8-14)Â
LP: Gaburo (3-6)
Records: Eckerd 18-23 (9-15), Barry 21-27 (6-18 SSC)
KEY MOMENTS
Game 1
- A pair of RBI doubles in the second and third innings gave Barry a 2-0 lead through three. The Bucs then added two more in the fifth on an error and a single.
- Carrie Shere broke up Christie Falcon's shutout bid with a solo home run in the fifth inning.
- Barry had two hits and drew a walk in the top of the sixth but had two runners thrown out on the basepaths.
- In the bottom of the sixth, Eckerd loaded the bases on back-to-back singles by Dana Paul and Janna Gaburo and an error that allowed Chelsea Armstrong to reach. With two outs, Shere was hit by a pitch on a full count. McGinnis followed with a moon shot to left-center field, landing at the base of the baseball bleachers for a go-ahead grand slam.
- Gaburo retired the side in order in the seventh to earn the win in relief.
Game 2
- The Bucs needed only two batters to score after a leadoff walk to Alayna Gallagher and an RBI double by Lynsey Duncan. Barry scored again in the fourth on a double by Catie Falcon for a 2-0 lead.
- Kayelee Newstrom roped a double to center to lead off the fifth and came around to score on a two-out single by Crystal Garcia, cutting the deficit to 2-1.
- Barry scored four important insurance runs in the seventh on a pair of two-run hits by Madison VonHegel and pinch-hitter Jordan Cooke, taking a 6-1 lead.
- Eckerd worked to rally in the bottom of the inning after Newstrom walked and Nikole Van Gennep brought her home with a double. Van Gennep later scored on an RBI groundout by Garcia, and the Tritons soon brought the tying run to the plate following a walk to Dana Paul and single by Gaburo. Armstrong sent a line drive into centerfield but was robbed on a diving catch by Gallagher to end the game.
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- McGinnis and Shere each hit their fourth homeruns of the season. As a team, Eckerd is now tied for third in the conference in homers.
- Gaburo factored into the decision in all three games this weekend despite starting only one in the circle. She pitched the first four innings of the finale, then came back in relief in the seventh to record the final two outs.
- After winning five in a row, Eckerd has lost five of its last six
UP NEXT
The Tritons play their final home series of the year next weekend hosting Florida Tech. The series begins Friday at 6:00 PM.
