Tritons Split Senior Day Doubleheader, Win Series Against Florida Tech

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla .- The Eckerd softball team bounced back from a 4-0 loss in the day's opening game to win the finale, 3-2, and take the series over Florida Tech at the Turley Athletic Complex on Saturday afternoon.

In the opener, Florida Tech jumped out to a four-run lead in the third inning while holding the Tritons' bats at bay. In the finale, Nikole Van Gennep tossed another gem in the circle while Carrie Shere hit a three-run homerun in the final home at-bat of her career to give the Tritons the senior day win.

HOW IT ENDED
Game One
Final: Florida Tech 4, Eckerd 0
Records: Eckerd 19-24 (10-16 SSC), Florida Tech 30-19 (14-12 SSC)
WP: Krutsinger (9-7) LP: Gaburo (3-7)  

Game Two
Final: Eckerd 3, Florida Tech 2
Records: Eckerd 20-24 (11-16 SSC), Florida Tech 30-20 (14-13 SSC)
WP: Van Gennep (14-11) LP: Murphy (15-9) HR: Shere (5)

KEY MOMENTS
Game One

• Florida Tech jumped out to an early lead with a run in the opening frame on an RBI double.
• The Panthers looked to threaten again in the second inning loading the bases but Janna Gaburo coaxed a fly-out to end the inning.
• The Panthers added to the lead in the third inning with three runs. The first two runs of the inning crossed on back-to-back RBI singles with the third run coming later in the inning on another RBI single.
• Grace Willeck relieved Gaburo in the fourth inning and shut down the Panther offense as she retired the first six batters she faced while allowing just one hit in the relief appearance.
• Eckerd looked to threaten in the sixth as Kaleigh Floyd reached on an error and Crystal Garcia singled with one out but the Panther defense turned a double play to end the threat. The Tritons again put themselves in position to score in the seventh inning with two runners on but were unable to push a run across.  

Game Two

• The final game of the series was almost a repeat of the series opener on Friday night as both Van Gennep and Melanie Murphy squared off again in the circle. Van Gennep worked quickly retiring nine of the first 10 batters faced while Murphy was perfect through four innings.
• The Tritons broke through in the fifth inning with three runs. Dana Paul reached to lead off the inning following a Panthers error while Garcia followed with a bunt single. Both advanced a base on a sacrifice bunt by Chelsea Armstrong, setting the stage for Shere who made her last at-bat at the Turley Athletic Complex a memorable one as she smacked a three-run homer to center field and gave Eckerd a 3-0 lead.
• The Panthers tacked on two runs in the following inning on a two-run double by Alexus Smith but Van Gennep retired the side in the seventh to seal the win.

NOTES AND NUMBERS

• Before the game, Eckerd honored its nine seniors: Shere, Gaburo, Willeck, Garcia, Floyd, Paul, Armstrong, Carly Coleman, and Rachael Luckett.
• Eckerd now has 11 wins in conference play this season, which is tied for the most conference wins in a season in Triton history. Eckerd has also won double-digits in conference in four of the past five years.
• With two hits in the opener and one in the finale, Van Gennep extended her hitting streak to nine games.  Floyd's streak reached 10 before she went hitless in the final game.
• Van Gennep picked up her 14th win of the season in the finale allowing two runs while striking out five.
• Willeck's four innings of scoreless relief in the opener lowered her ERA as a reliever to 0.51.  She has allowed just two earned runs in 27-1/3 innings in 13 relief appearances this season.

UP NEXT
Eckerd concludes the regular season next weekend at Tampa with a three-game series starting Friday at 6:00 PM.