ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Tritons' combination of potent offense and pitching paved the way for a 12-2 win in the opener, as EC tallied 14 hits and allowed just one earned run. The Eckerd baseball team fell in a thrilling finale, 11-10, as the Buccaneers rallied in the ninth with four runs to take the game Saturday afternoon at the Turley Athletic Complex.
Barry struck first in the opener, tacking on two runs in the second inning. The Tritons responded in the third, plating three runs via RBI singles by Mikey Burke and Tyler Cox, and Peter Stavrakos scored on a wild pitch.
Eckerd's offense continued to hum as EC added two runs with sacrifice flies from Michael Ballard and Jake Andriole, in the fourth and fifth innings, extending the Triton lead, 5-2. Mikey Burke continued EC's scoring with a two-RBI double in the sixth.
EC added five more runs in the eighth inning from a three-RBI double by Cox, an RBI single by Andriole, and an RBI single by Joe Wike, as the Tritons won the opener, 12-2.
Both teams began the finale on fire offensively, as Eckerd and Barry combined for eight runs in the opening frame. The Bucs scored three runs to open the game via an RBI single and a two-run double. However, the Tritons immediately returned the favor with a pair of homeruns: a two-run blast by Dimerson Nunez and a three-run shot by Tyler Young as EC took a 5-3 lead.
The Tritons continued to pour on offensively in the second with a pair of RBI singles by Young and Danny Gutcher. The Tritons added another run in the fifth with an RBI single from Cox.
The Bucs added three runs in the sixth via a solo home run, RBI single, and error to pull Barry within three runs, 9-6.
Each team added a run in the eighth, with BU hitting another solo home run to pull within two, and the Tritons added a run off an error.
Eckerd led 10-7 heading into the final frame, but Barry scored four runs via a two-RBI single, RBI double, and a sacrifice fly. Unfortunately, the Tritons were unable to spark a last inning rally falling, 11-10.
HOW IT ENDED
Game One
Final: Eckerd 12, Barry 2
WP: Andriole (1-1) LP: Bennetti (0-4) S: Waxler (2)
Game Two
Final: Barry 11, Eckerd 10
WP: Cabrera (1-1) LP: Dunnam (1-1) S: Vazquez (1) HR: Nunez (1), Wike (1), Young (1), Torres (1), Blanco (1)
RECORDS: Eckerd 8-10; Barry 6-11
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- Cox had a huge day at the plate, tallying six hits, five RBIs, and one extra-base hit.
- Young also had a stellar performance in the second showing with two hits and four RBIs.
- Nine Tritons had multi-hit days: Cox (6), Wike (4), Burke (4), Gutcher (3), Ballard (3), Stavrakos (3), Nunez (2), Andriole (2), and Young (2).
- EC had nine total extra-base hits on the day with three home runs, one triple, and five doubles.
- Eckerd scattered 29 hits across both games.
- The Tritons scored 22 total runs.
- Andriole earned his first win of the season, pitching six innings with five hits allowed, one earned run, and four strikeouts.
- Ben Waxler earned his second save of the year, allowing no runs and one hit, with five strikeouts.
UP NEXT
Eckerd travels for a three-game SSC series at Florida Tech next Friday at 6:00 PM.
