ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Despite rallying to tie the game in the opener, the Tritons could not stave off Lynn, who responded with a five-run ninth inning to take game one of the doubleheader, 8-4. In the finale, the Eckerd baseball team was unable to complete the comeback after trimming Lynn's lead to just two runs in the eighth before ultimately falling, 4-2, Saturday afternoon at the Turley Athletic Complex.
Lynn opened the scoring in the third inning with a solo homerun to left field. LU added two runs in the fourth frame when Ryan Ford scored after Peter Avino grounded into a double play and Joeseph Encarnacion cracked an RBI single.
The Tritons pulled within one on a two-RBI double by Mikey Burke in the fifth, and a solo homerun to left-center by Mitch Donofrio in the sixth tied the game.
Both squads were held scoreless in the seventh and eighth frames before the Fighting Knights tacked on a five-run ninth inning for an 8-3 lead. Joe Muzio pushed Tyler Cox across with a sacrifice fly, but EC's rally fell short as LU held on for the opening win.
In the second showing, the Fighting Knights again struck first in the third inning with an RBI double. Cox evened the score with an RBI single in the fifth, with Lynn striking right back in the sixth for a 2-1 lead as Anthony Sanabria scored on a balk. In the eighth, LU tallied two additional runs via an errant throw and an RBI single.
Eckerd added a run in the eighth when Donofrio scored on a wild pitch but ultimately could not complete the rally to avoid the doubleheader sweep as the Fighting Knights took game two, 4-2.
HOW IT ENDED
Game One
FINAL: Lynn 8, Eckerd 4
WP: Draves (1-2) LP: Durham (2-3) HR: Donofrio (10), Murray (7), Ford (8)
Game Two
FINAL: Lynn 4, Eckerd 2
WP: Winston (2-2) LP: Perry (3-3) S: Buxbaum (7)
RECORDS: Eckerd 15-23 (8-13 SSC); Lynn 27-18 (13-14 SSC)
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- Donofrio's solo shot in game one was his 10th homerun of the year. He now has 21 for his career, ranking 10th in program history.
- Cox hit a combined 5-for-8 in both games with an RBI.
- Making his first start of the year, Zach Pfeil went 2-for-3 with a run scored and a walk.
- Burke's two-RBI double in the opener was his eighth extra-base hit of the season.
- Donofrio pitched two scoreless innings in the finale.
UP NEXT
The Tritons travel to Rollins for a non-conference tilt on Tuesday at 5:00 PM.
