Tritons Deliver Walk-Off Thriller to Open Florida Tech Series

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - It was a pitcher's duel Friday night at the Turley Athletic Complex with the Eckerd softball team prevailing on another walk-off win to top Florida Tech, 1-0, in the series opener.

Backed by a dominant shutout performance in the circle by Nikole Van Gennep, Eckerd pulled off its ninth walk-off win of the season on a Meredith McGinnis single that drove in Janna Gaburo in the bottom of the seventh for the game's only run.

HOW IT ENDED
Final: Eckerd 1, Florida Tech 0
Records: Eckerd 19-23 (10-15 SSC), Florida Tech 29-19 (13-12 SSC)
WP: Van Gennep (13-11) LP: Murphy (15-8)

KEY MOMENTS

• Van Gennep worked effectively in the circle retiring the first seven batters. She ran into trouble in the fourth inning, loading the bases on three consecutive singles to lead off the frame. However, she managed to escape the jam with no damage highlighted by her own defensive gem when she snagged a sharp line drive up the middle for the second out. Van Gennep retired nine of the next 10 batters she faced to end the game.
• After Eckerd put only one runner past first base in the first six innings, Gaburo opened the seventh inning with a double ripped down the left field line and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Chelsea Armstrong.  McGinnis stepped to the plate two batters later after an intentional walk to Carrie Shere and laced a ball to the backhand side of the second baseman to drive in Gaburo for the walk-off victory.

NOTES AND NUMBERS

• The walk-off win was the ninth of the season for Eckerd. Eight of those wins have come at home and two of the nine were walk-off run-rule hits.
• Van Gennep tossed her third shutout of the season allowing just four hits while striking out three.
• Floyd led Eckerd at the plate with two hits while Van Gennep, Gaburo, and McGinnis each had one.

UP NEXT
The two teams will complete the series tomorrow with a doubleheader at noon. Before the game, Eckerd will honor its nine seniors: Floyd, Gaburo, Shere, Armstrong, Dana Paul, Carly Coleman, Rachael Luckett, Crystal Garcia, and Grace Willeck.