ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Eckerd baseball team built a 4-0 lead in the fifth inning over the nationally-ranked Tars. However, No. 11 Rollins chipped away at the Tritons' lead to even the score at 5-5 in the ninth. EC rallied to load the bases, where Dimerson Nunez delivered a bases-loaded walk-off walk to defeat Rollins, 6-5, Thursday evening at the Turley Athletic Complex.
Mitch Donofrio smacked a three-run shot to left field in the opening frame to give EC a 3-0 lead. The Tritons extended their lead to 4-0 in the fifth on a Michael Ballard solo homerun.
The Tars rallied for five runs over the last four frames. They added a pair of RBI singles in the sixth and seventh innings and a solo homerun in the eighth to trail 4-3.
EC pushed back out to a 5-3 lead following Donofrio's solo homerun, but Rollins responded with a couple of RBI singles in the ninth to even the score at 5-5.
Joe Muzio registered a pinch-hit single to lead off the ninth, followed by bunt singles by Michael Ballard and Jake Fajardo to load the bases. Nunez delivered the winning run after working a full count for the walk-off walk.
HOW IT ENDED
FINAL: Eckerd 6, No. 11 Rollins 5
WP: Andriole (2-1) LP: Long (2-3) HR: Donofrio 2 (9), Ballard (3) Santucci (11)
RECORDS: Eckerd 16-18 (9-8 SSC); Rollins 26-11 (11-8 SSC)
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- Donofrio's homeruns were his eighth and ninth of the year, the most in a single season since Justin Glover had 11 in 2019. He has now hit eight homeruns over the last 13 games.
- Ballard went 4-for-4 while hitting his third homerun of the season.
- Donofrio went 2-for-4 with four RBIs.
- Joe Wike extended his hitting streak to nine games and his reached base streak to 20 games.
- Jake Andriole pushed his reached base streak to 23 games.
- Andriole earned his second win of the season after tossing the ninth.
- Jacob Stipp received a no-decision, throwing six innings allowing just one run.
UP NEXT
Eckerd and Rollins conclude the three-game series with a doubleheader at 1:00 PM tomorrow.
