ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – One day after two dominant pitching performances, the Triton offense was the show this time as the Eckerd baseball team earned a series sweep of Spring Hill (Ala.) on Sunday afternoon with a convincing 18-6 win.
Eckerd used a late-game offensive outburst, scoring nine runs in the sixth inning to take the lead. The Tritons scored 17 runs over the final three innings in the win.
HOW IT ENDED
Final: Eckerd 18, Spring Hill 6
Records: Eckerd 4-3; Spring Hill 2-5
WP: Favetta (1-1)
LP: Gibson (1-1)
KEY MOMENTS
- Spring Hill took an early lead with two runs in the third inning after Brennan Fontenot hit a two-run triple to right center. The Badgers put another runner aboard with a walk but the Eckerd defense turned an inning-ending double play to end the threat.
- The Tritons got one run back in the bottom of the frame via a Mitch Calandra sacrifice fly to left bringing in Chase Achuff who doubled to lead off the inning.
- Eckerd ended another Badger scoring threat in the fifth inning as Sam Cochrane cut down a runner at the plate attempting to score off a single to right.
- SHC added a run in the sixth inning, scoring on an RBI single following a leadoff double. Joey Favetta entered in relief with a runner on second and no outs, ending the Badgers threat with three straight strikeouts.
- The Tritons rallied in the bottom of the inning with the offense exploding for nine runs off six hits for a 10-3 lead. Calandra reached on an error to lead off the inning and was brought in on a triple from Cochrane. Nick Conti drove in the tying run with a single up the middle. Eckerd then took the lead following a two-run double by Santos Grande two batters later. Achuff delivered a two-run double with the bases loaded before Garrett Hiott cleared the bases with a two-run triple down the right field line. Calandra plated Hiott for the final run of the inning with a single to center field.
- EC tacked on another four runs in the next inning extending its lead to 14-3. Achuff reached on a Spring Hill fielding error while bringing in Grande who walked to lead off the inning. Jake Romine jumped on the first pitch he saw bringing in the next run with a pinch-hit single through the right side. Calandra then smacked an RBI ground-rule double to left field before Romine scored off a wild pitch.
- The Tritons continued to build upon their lead with another four runs in the eighth inning. Bryan Torres drove in the first run with a pinch-hit double down the left field line before Keith Leavitt, Jr. traded places with Torres with a two-run double to left. Eckerd added its final run as Leavitt, Jr. scored on Tim Mira's double play.
- SHC managed to get three runs in the ninth inning on a bases-clearing double by Spencer Miller.
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- Achuff and Calandra led Eckerd at the plate with three hits and three RBIs each while Achuff also scored three runs. Leavitt, Jr. collected two hits while adding two RBIs. Hiott and Grande also drove in two runs each.
- Eckerd tallied a season-high 16 hits, nine of which went for extra bases.
- Favetta earned the win in relief, throwing three scoreless innings allowing one hit while fanning five.
- The game featured a combined 43 players seeing action 11 of which were pitchers.
UP NEXT
Eckerd travels to IMG Academy on Tuesday to play Yonsei University of Japan at 6:00 PM in an exhibition.
