ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Eckerd baseball team broke a 35-year-old record Saturday afternoon keeping Spring Hill scoreless in both ends of a doubleheader at the Turley Athletic Complex.
Eckerd received dominant pitching performances in both games. Starters
Dillon McCollough and
Robin Allen combined for 15 innings and 17 strikeouts while relievers
Kyle Durham and Cam Lanzilli combined to allow just one hit over three innings of work.
The last time Eckerd shutout a team twice on the same day was in 1984.
HOW IT ENDED
Game One
Final: Eckerd 8, Spring Hill 0
WP: McCollough (1-0)
LP: Atwood (0-1)
Game Two
Final: Eckerd 6, Spring Hill 0
WP: Allen (1-0)
LP: Powell (0-1)
Records: Eckerd 3-3; Spring Hill 2-4
KEY MOMENTS
Game One
- Eckerd jumped out to an early lead with five runs in the opening frame. The Tritons showed patience at the plate as four of the first five batters drew walks with Nick Conti taking a free bag with the bases loaded for the first run. Nick Arrivo followed with a two-run single through the left side bringing in Garrett Hiott and Sam Cochrane. Another walk to Santos Grande loaded the bases for EC to set the table for Keith Leavitt, Jr.'s two-run single to left center.
- Eckerd tacked on another two runs to take a 7-0 lead in the third. Mitch Donofrio doubled to left bringing in Arrivo who singled to lead off the inning. Hiott brought in the final run of the inning with a sharp single down the left field line to plate Grande.
- McCollough kept the Badgers off balance, not allowing a hit over the first four innings while striking out four. Spring Hill managed to get two runners aboard with two outs in the sixth inning but McCollough coaxed a strikeout to end the inning.
- The Tritons tacked on an insurance run in the seventh inning as Grande doubled to right field to bring in Conti who reached on a single.
Game Two
- Allen worked out of a jam early as the first two batters reached base and advanced into scoring position after a sacrifice bunt. However, Allen settled in striking out the next two batters to end the threat.
- Cochrane put the Tritons on the board early with a double to left center driving in Mitch Calandra who reached on a fielder's choice in the first inning.
- Eckerd struck again in the third inning with another two runs. Hiott walked to lead off the inning and scored while taking advantage of a Badger throwing error on Cochrane's sacrifice bunt. Arrivo brought in the second run plating Cochrane with a singled sliced down the right field line.
- EC added its final three runs in the sixth inning. Chase Achuff singled up the middle to bring in Jake Romine, who was pinch-running for Grande. Calandra then hit a two-run double to left field scoring Hiott and Achuff for the final two runs of the game.
- Lanzilli entered in relief in the eighth inning surrendering a hit to the first batter he faced before retiring the next six batters.
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- Arrivo was a perfect 4-for-4 in the opener while driving in two runs. Leavitt, Jr. and Calandra each drove in two runs on the day with Leavitt, Jr.'s coming in the first game and Calandra's in the second.
- Hiott had two hits in the opener while drawing three walks in the second game as he has reached base in all six games this season.
- McCollough picked up his first win of the season, striking out 10 over eight innings. He has now recorded 10 or more strikeouts in a game nine times in his career. It was also second time he has recorded back-to-back games with 10-plus strikeouts after fanning 11 in the season opener.
- Allen also picked up his first win of the season striking out eight over seven innings while scattering three hits.
- The last time Eckerd recorded two shutouts on the same day was in 1984 as the Tritons beat Lafayette 14-0 and 3-0.
UP NEXT
Eckerd concludes the three game series with Spring Hill tomorrow with first pitch at 12:00 PM.
