ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.. - The Eckerd baseball team fell in its final home non-conference matchup of the season to the Valdosta State (Ga.) Blazers 4-1 at the Turley Athletic Complex on Tuesday night.
The Blazers loaded the bases in the first, but the Tritons managed to get out of the inning unscathed on a flyout to left field. The Tritons could not generate any momentum in the early goings of the game, as Zack Dodson pitched a perfect inning in the first. Payton McIntosh followed suit with a perfect inning of his own in the second to keep the Blazers off the board.
In the third, with two outs and two runners, Valdosta scored on an RBI single to right field. The Tritons evened the tally in the fifth when a sacrifice fly by Jake Fajardo brought home Tyler Young to tie 1-1. The Blazers pulled away in the sixth, scoring on a single to right field and a balk for a 3-1 favor. Valdosta State lengthened its lead in the seventh on a groundout to increase their advantage to 4-1.
In the bottom of the ninth, the Tritons had two runners on with one out and the tying run at the plate. Gunner Womer and Weston Wiles came in to pinch hit, both flying out to end the game with the Tritons falling 4-1.
HOW IT ENDED
FINAL: Valdosta State 4, Eckerd 1
WP: Dodson (1-1) LP: Waxler (0-1) S: Raiden (1)
RECORDS: Eckerd (18-21, 6-15 SSC), Valdosta (30-12, 18-9 GSC)
NOTES AND NUMBERS
UP NEXT
The Tritons travel to Daytona Beach this weekend for another SSC series against the Embry-Riddle Eagles. Game one begins at 6:00 PM on Friday night at Silwa Stadium.
