ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Eckerd softball team tallied 10 extra-base hits, including a whopping five home runs, in a doubleheader sweep of Southwest Minnesota State, 7-1 and 9-0 (6 Inn), Friday afternoon at the Turley Athletic Complex.
The Tritons' offense was humming from the start in the opener, as Lauren Margolis hit a two-run homerun in the first inning for a 2-0 lead. SMSU trimmed EC's lead with an RBI single from Patia Wolfe in the fourth inning. Eckerd then poured on offensively, scoring a combined five runs in the fifth and sixth innings. In the fifth, EC scored with an RBI single by Skylar Redish. In the sixth, Sara Soterakis brought in the first run with an RBI double for a 3-1 lead. Brenna Lokeinsky blew the game open with a two-run homer to center field, extending the Tritons' lead to 5-1 before Margolis hit her second homerun, a solo shot as Eckerd took the game, 7-1.
The finale played much like the opener, with home runs galore as the Tritons added two more to the day's tally. Brooklyn Cardona opened the scoring in the second inning scoring on a wild pitch. Jenice Casanas then pushed two runs across the plate, scoring Hannah Burge and Megan Diaz with a two-RBI single to left field.
The Tritons closed the finale just like the opener with a pair of three-run homeruns by Redish and Lokeinsky, giving EC the win, 9-0, in six innings.
HOW IT ENDED
Game 1
Final: Eckerd 7, Southwest Minnesota State 1
WP: Perkins (6-4) LP: Miller (2-7) HR: Margolis 2 (2), Lokeinsky (2)
Game 2
Final: Eckerd 9, Southwest Minnesota State 0 (6 Inn.)
WP: Durrance (3-3) LP: Bloemendaal (5-5) HR: Lokeinsky (3), Redish (4)
Records: Eckerd 9-8, Southwest Minnesota State 8-13
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- Lokeinsky had a monster day at the dish, going 5-for-8 with five RBIs, two homeruns, three runs, and no strikeouts.
- Redish hit her team-leading fourth home run of the year and produced three hits and five RBI on the day.
- Margolis went 2-for-3 with three RBIs, two homeruns, and a walk in the first game.
- Seven Tritons registered extra-base hits: Lokeinsky (3), Margolis (2), Casanas (1), Kayla Hurley (1), Diaz (1), Soterakis (1), and Redish (1).
- Hannah Perkins earned her sixth win, pitching a complete game with just one earned run and eight strikeouts.
- Kensley Durrance registered her third win of the year, allowing just three hits, no earned runs, and fanning seven in six innings of work.
UP NEXT
The Tritons welcome Bloomsburg (Pa.) for a doubleheader on Sunday at 12:00 PM.
