GULF SHORES, Ala. – The Eckerd softball team began the 2019 season with a shutout victory over West Alabama in the opener while standing toe-to-toe with No. 11 Alabama-Huntsville in the finale at the Gulf Shores Invitational on Friday.
Eckerd got on the board early against West Alabama scoring two runs in the first inning and another two in the third while
Nikole Van Gennep kept the Tigers' bats at bay with seven shutout innings.
The finale was tightly contested as the Tritons hung in with No. 11 Alabama-Huntsville battling back from an early deficit and taking the lead in the second inning before the Chargers took the lead for good in the fourth inning.
HOW IT ENDED
Game One
Final: Eckerd 4, West Alabama 0
WP: Van Gennep (1-0) LP: Lay (0-1) HR: McGinnis (1)
Game Two
Final: Alabama-Huntsville 9, Eckerd 5
WP: Uhlman (1-1)
LP: Perkins (0-1)
Records: Eckerd 1-1; West Alabama 0-2; Alabama-Huntsville 1-1
KEY MOMENTS
Game One
- West Alabama put two runners on in the opening frame but Van Gennep worked her way out of the early jam with two consecutive strikeouts.
- Eckerd took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first via a two-run double by Kaylin Kramer plating Jessica Wilson and Meredith McGinnis who walked and singled to reach base.
- Eckerd struck again in the third, scoring two more runs to take a 4-0 lead. McGinnis led off the inning with a homerun over the centerfield wall. Kramer drew a walk for the Tritons in the next at-bat and advanced to second on a Valerie Holguin sacrifice bunt. Kassy Torres followed with an RBI single down the left field line for the final run of the inning.
- EC looked to threaten in the sixth inning after Hannah Famino and Van Gennep singled to lead off the inning, but the Tritons were unable to push another run across.
- The Tigers put a runner on in each of the final four innings but Eckerd was able to retire the side without allowing a run to cross.
Game Two
- Alabama-Huntsville took an early lead scoring three runs in the first inning after two RBI singles and an RBI double.
- The Tritons evened the score in the bottom of the frame taking advantage of several UAH miscues. Van Gennep reached on an error to lead off the inning, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored off a throwing error on a Kramer grounder. After reaching on a walk, McGinnis scored off a Charger fielding error during Skylar Redish's at-bat. Torres drove in the final run of the inning with an RBI groundout to bring in Kramer.
- After back-to-back doubles to lead off the second inning, the Chargers took a 4-3 lead.
- The Tritons responded in the bottom of the frame with two runs to take a 5-4 lead. Valerie Holguin delivered a two-out, two-RBI double to right center bringing in McGinnis and Kramer who walked and singled to reach base.
- UAH took back the lead in the fourth inning after scoring three times. After a walk and a single, Mackenzie Nutt hit a two-run double and Kiara Akles followed with a double to bring in the final run of the inning.
- The Chargers tacked on an additional two runs in the fifth inning with a two-run single.
- EC threatened a comeback in the seventh inning after Holguin and Redish singled but the Tritons were unable to push another run across.
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- McGinnis led Eckerd in the first game with two hits while Holguin collected two hits in the finale. Holguin, Kramer, and Torres each drove in two runs on the day.
- Van Gennep earner her first win of the season throwing seven shutout innings, allowing five hits while striking out four. The shutout was the 13th of her career.
- Ally Costa threw the first inning of the second game before giving way to Hannah Perkins making the first appearance of her career. Perkins worked out of a jam in the second, stranding her inherited runner while throwing the final six innings allowing five runs on seven hits and striking out two.
UP NEXT
Eckerd wraps up the Invitational with two games tomorrow playing Mississippi College at 2:00 PM (CST) and West Florida at 7:00 PM (CST).
