TAMPA, Fla. - The Eckerd baseball team fell in both Sunshine State Conference contests against the No. 3 Spartans 13-0, 17-3 at the Bob Martinez Athletic Complex Saturday.
The Spartans shut out the Tritons in game one. With an early run in the first, the Spartans took the lead and never looked back. They added four runs in the third and one in the sixth for a 6-0 favor before erupting for seven runs in the eighth for the final tally of 13-0.
The scales were tilted in the Spartans' favor again in game two, as they racked up 17 runs. An explosive five-run inning to open the game got the Spartans the lead early. Joe Wike had a two-run single up the middle to bring the Tritons within three in the second inning before Tampa answered back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame. UT added a run in the third. Michael Ballard's RBI double in the fourth brought the Tritons back within five. However, the Spartans added nine more runs over the next three innings to extend their lead and take the game.
HOW IT ENDED
Game One
FINAL: No. 3 Tampa 13, Eckerd 0
WP: Canney (5-0) LP: Stockman (2-4) HR: Nunez (4), Gutcher (7)
Game Two
FINAL: No. 3 Tampa 17, Eckerd 3
WP: Thurmond (5-1) LP: Lawry (0-1) HR: Ehrhard (3), Gutcher 2 (9)
RECORDS: Eckerd (16-18, 5-13 SSC), No. 3 Tampa (30-7, 19-2 SSC)
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- Wike led the Tritons with two RBIs, going 4-for-5 on the day.
- Ballard added an RBI in game two.
- Kyle Abbott, Joe Muzio, Tyler Cox, Wike, and Ballard each went 2-for-4 in the finale.
UP NEXT
Eckerd is on the road Wednesday in Melbourne, Florida, for a non-conference midweek matchup against Florida Tech at 3:00 PM.
