ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Eckerd baseball team split a doubleheader against Palm Beach Atlantic Saturday afternoon, dropping the first game 10-1 and winning the second 8-6, as they took the series from the Sailfish at the Turley Athletic Complex.
The Sailfish jumped out early, gaining a three-run lead in the second inning and then continued to tack on runs through the middle innings.
Chase Achuff drove in
Michael Ballard in the eighth inning as the Tritons finally put a run on the board, but a four-run ninth inning for PBA secured their victory.
Mitch Donofrio roped an RBI single in the first inning as EC got on the board early. The Sailfish tied the game in the second and then gained an edge in the third inning following a Brandon Seltzer homerun. A five-run fourth inning by EC proved to be the deciding factor for the Tritons as they added another run in the seventh and prevailed over the Sailfish.
HOW IT ENDED
Game 1
Final: Palm Beach Atlantic 10, Eckerd 1
WP: Troy Klemm (2-1)
LP: Kyle Durham (1-3)
SV: Christian Horner (1)
Game 2
Final: Eckerd 8, Palm Beach Atlantic 6
WP: Drew Martin (1-0)
LP: Joey Hennessey (0-2)
SV: Chase Achuff (3)
HR: Brandon Seltzer (3)
Records: Eckerd (6-8, 3-3 SSC); Palm Beach Atlantic (6-7, 1-2 SSC)
KEY MOMENTS
Game 1
- Palm Beach Atlantic started scoring early as they put three runs on the board in the second inning. Following a bases-loaded walk, the Sailfish added two more runs on a sacrifice bunt and an infield single.
- PBA continued to add to their lead with another RBI single in the fourth and then an RBI triple to right center in the fifth. They picked up their seventh run of the contest in the seventh inning following a Triton error that allowed a run to come across.
- Ballard started the eighth inning with an infield single to third. After a failed pick-off attempt advanced him to third, Achuff sent a one-out groundball to shortstop that scored Ballard.
- The Sailfish capped their scoring in the ninth inning with a single to left field that drove in two runs followed by a two-run double to right center.
Game 2
- Mikey Burke drew a walk and stole second to start the game for the Tritons in the first inning. Nick Arrivo followed with a walk and then stole second as Burke also advance to third to put two runners in scoring position. Donofrio ripped a two-out single to left field to drive in Burke for the Tritons first run.
- A Louis Zayas double put him in scoring position for the Sailfish in the second inning. With two outs, Dylan Tosto singled to right field and drove in Zayas to tie the game.
- PBA took a 3-1 lead in the third inning as Brandon Seltzer sent a 1-0 pitch deep to left field for a two-run homerun.
- Burke singled to shortstop to start the third inning for EC and a groundout and a wild pitch advancing him to third base. He then scored on another wild pitch for his second run of the game.
- Santos Grande walked to open the fourth for the Tritons. A single from Ballard moved Grande to second and a Cameron Wademan single to right center drove in Grande for the Tritons' third run. A Sailfish throwing error allowed Ballard to score as EC took a 4-3 lead. Arrivo followed with a hard-hit ball that caromed off the shortstop for an RBI single. Sam Cochrane ripped a two-out single to center field that brought Burke and Arrivo in as the Tritons led 7-3.
- Palm Beach Atlantic rallied for two runs in the fifth with an RBI double down the right field line and a run scoring on a wild pitch as the Sailfish closed the deficit to just two runs.
- PBA tacked on its sixth run of the game in the seventh inning after Tosto bunted for an RBI single.
- Sam Cochrane led off the seventh with a double down the right field line. Achuff followed with a walk and the pair advanced a base following a wild pitch. Grande then sent a deep ball to right field, with just one out, allowing Cochrane to tag and score on the play.
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- Cochrane went 3-for-8 on the day with two RBIs, a run scored, and a double.
- Ballard and Grande both added three hits each over both games.
- Drew Martin picked up his first win of the season while Achuff earned his third save of the season. It is the 10th save of Achuff's career which ranks him tied four fourth in Triton history.
- Grande extended his reached base streak to 14 games with two hits in game one and an RBI single in game two.
- Joe Gallagher caught three runners stealing in game one.
UP NEXT
The Tritons head to Winter Park next Thursday as they begin play in the Rollins College Tournament. They face Palm Beach Atlantic in the first game, starting at 6:00 PM.
