ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Eckerd baseball team sealed the 6-3 victory over the Indiana University of Pennsylvania Crimson Hawks with a three-run eighth inning in the series opener at the Turley Athletic Complex Saturday night.
The Tritons got out to an early one-run lead in the second with an RBI single by Joe Wike. Cam Collier extended EC's lead in the fourth, scoring on a wild pitch by Derrick Shields. A dropped ball in center field allowed the Crimson Hawks to shorten their deficit to one in the fifth. An RBI single through the left side by Kyle Abbott increased the Tritons' favor back to two runs in the seventh.
A comfortable 3-1 favor for the Tritons was halted in the eighth when Elijah Dunn hit a two-run double up the right-field line to equalize.
With the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth, Michael Ballard hit a blistering ball into right field for a bases-loaded three-run double to seal the game, Tritons winning 6-3.
HOW IT ENDED
FINAL: Eckerd 6, IUP 3
WP: Tucker Shalley (3-1) LP: Sean Furlong (0-2)
RECORDS: Eckerd 8-6; IUP 3-4
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- Jacob Stipp struck out a career-high 11 batters through over 7.2 innings of work.
- Ballard went 2-for-5 on the night with a team-leading three RBIs.
- Collier went 3-for-4, while Wike and Kam Gelwick both went 2-for-3.
- Abbott and Wike each added one RBI.
UP NEXT
The Tritons are at home for the 9/7 (Inning) doubleheader of their three-game series tomorrow at 12:00 PM against the Crimson Hawks.
