Streak Ends but Tritons Take Series From Palm Beach Atlantic

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - A five-run eighth inning by Palm Beach Atlantic brought an end to the Eckerd baseball winning streak, but the Tritons bounced back to win the rubber game of the weekend and take the conference-opening series from the Sailfish.

HOW IT ENDED
Game 1
Final: Palm Beach Atlantic 8, Eckerd 7
WP: Hawks (1-0)  LP: Lanzilli (1-1)  Sv: Josephina (1)

Game 2
Final: Eckerd 3, Palm Beach Atlantic 2
WP: Martin (2-0)  LP: Fry (0-2)  Sv: Achuff (1)
Records: Eckerd 10-4 (2-1 SSC); Palm Beach Atlantic 5-7 (1-2 SSC)

KEY MOMENTS
Game 1

• Eckerd scored early in the opener getting a two-out RBI single by Sam Cochrane in the top of the first, then adding three more runs in the third. After Garrett was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and moved to second on a failed pickoff, Mitch Calandra singled him home. Calandra then stole second and scored on a Cochrane RBI double.  Santos Grande later drove in Cochrane with a two-out single.
• The Sailfish struggled to break through against Eckerd starter Robin Allen, managing a pair of solo home runs over the first six innings as the Tritons held a 4-2 lead heading into the seventh.
• Eckerd doubled its lead in the top of the eighth after RBI hits by Nick Conti and Justin Glover.
• An error on the first ball in play in the bottom of the eighth opened the floodgates for the Sailfish who scored five times on four hits to take a 7-6 lead. Sean Hauck delivered the biggest hit in the form of a two-out, two-run single that brought in the tying and go-ahead runs.
• Achuff led off the top of the ninth with a single but stayed at first as Orsen Josephina retired the next three batters for the save.

Game 2

• The Tritons jumped on PBA starter Lance Fry early in the finale with three runs on five hits in the first inning. Eckerd strung together five straight singles before Fry escaped the jam.
• Drew Martin cruised through the first three innings for Eckerd before allowing a run in the fourth after hitting the leadoff batter, Riley Herold. Herold moved to second on a wild pitch and later scored on a single by Brandon Seltzer.  The Sailfish had later two runners in scoring position but Martin got out of the inning.
• Martin worked scoreless innings in the fifth and sixth and gave way to Kyle Durham in the seventh.  Durham retired the first two batters before a runner reached on an error and came around to score after back-to-back singles, cutting EC's lead down to 3-2.
• The Sailfish threatened again in the eighth, this time against Cameron Lanzilli.  Two singles and a walk loaded the bases with two outs, but Lanzilli fanned pinch hitter Mike Santaromi.
• Eckerd missed an opportunity in the top of the ninth after putting two runners on with one out. Achuff entered to close the game in the bottom of the inning and put the first two runners aboard.  The Tritons, though, cut down the lead runner at third on a sacrifice bunt attempt for the first out. Achuff then struck out Herold and retired pinch-hitter Owen Vonesslinger to close the game.

NOTES AND NUMBERS

• Eckerd's winning streak ended at eight games with the loss in the opener.
• The Tritons totalled 21 hits over the two games. Cochrane had three hits in the opener while Hiott recorded three in the finale.  Hiott's hitting streak extended to eight games while his on-base streak reached 14.
• After driving in a run in both games, Calandra has an RBI in each of his last four outings. He currently leads the conference with 20 RBIs.
• Allen received a no-decision in the opener, allowing two runs on seven hits and striking out five over six innings.  Martin earned the win in the finale, also going six innings and allowing one run while fanning six.
• Achuff's save was Eckerd's first of the season and the first of his career.

UP NEXT
The Tritons return to St. Petersburg for a four-game home stand next week, beginning on Tuesday against Davenport (Mich.) at 6:00 PM.