TAMPA, Fla. – The Eckerd softball team dropped both ends of a doubleheader at Tampa on Saturday afternoon to conclude the season despite two late-inning rallies.
In the opener, Tampa scored three runs early while holding off a Triton rally in the fifth and sixth innings. In the finale, the Spartans took the lead in the fourth inning while fending off the Tritons' rally in the sixth inning.
HOW IT ENDED
Game One
Final: Tampa 3, Eckerd 1
Records: Eckerd 20-26 (11-18 SSC), Tampa 27-16 (18-11 SSC)
WP: Kaye (3-5)
LP: Van Gennep (14-13)
Game Two
Final: Tampa 2, Eckerd 0
Records: Eckerd 20-27 (11-19 SSC), Tampa 28-16 (19-11 SSC)
WP: Dooley (25-11)
LP: Gaburo (3-8)
KEY MOMENTS
Game One
- Tampa jumped out to an early lead with three runs in the opening frame off an RBI single and two-run double by Taylor Farrell.
- Eckerd cut into the deficit in the fifth inning after loading the bases with no outs. Kayelee Newstrom and Nikole Van Gennep hit back-to-back singles to lead off the inning while Kaleigh Floyd reached on a fielders choice. Janna Gaburo drove in the lone run on a fielder's choice as Newstrom scored following a Spartan error on the play at the plate. The Tritons hoped to score again in the inning with the bases remaining loaded and no outs but Tampa was able to turn a rare triple play to escape the jam.
- Eckerd again looked to threaten in the following inning as Crystal Garcia led off the inning with a walk and Chelsea Armstrong followed with a single but the Spartans turned a double play to end the inning.
Game Two
- Neither team was able to generate much offense in the first three innings. Eckerd did have a runner reach third in the second inning but the Spartans were able to coax two pop-ups to end the threat.
- Tampa broke the stalemate in the fourth inning with two runs on with back-to-back RBI singles. The Spartans looked to add to the score again in the inning loading the bases with another single in the following at-bat, but Grace Willeck entered in relief and rendered a groundout to escape the bases-loaded jam.
- The Tritons' offense looked for a late-inning comeback in the sixth inning as Van Gennep and Kaleigh Floyd singled to lead off the frame but Tampa retired the next three batters to end the threat.
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- Van Gennep led Eckerd in the opener with a 4-for-4 performance while Armstrong collected two hits. Van Gennep also had two hits in the finale finishing the day going 6-for-7 while also extending her hitting streak to 12 games.
- Four Tritons appeared in the circle throughout the day. Van Gennep threw a complete game in the opener surrendering three runs on five hits while Gaburo, Willeck, and Ally Costa threw in the finale. Willeck allowed no hits over 1.1 innings while Costa threw a perfect sixth inning.
- Eckerd ends the season with 11 wins in conference play, tying the most conference wins in Triton history.
- The games marked the end of the careers for nine Tritons: Willeck, Floyd, Garcia, Armstrong, Gaburo, Carly Coleman, Dana Paul, Carrie Shere, and Rachael Luckett.
