ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Three late-inning extra-base hits propelled the Eckerd softball team past Embry-Riddle, 6-3, in the opener on Thursday afternoon before the Eagles used a three-run fourth inning to take the second game, 5-3, at the Turley Athletic Complex.
ERAU got on the board in the first inning in the opener on a sacrifice fly. However, a Lauren Margolis RBI single and a bases-loaded walk by Megan Diaz gave Eckerd a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the frame.
Jadyn Wright delivered an RBI single in the second for a 3-1 EC favor. The Eagles tied the game with a run in the fourth and fifth.
Diaz gave EC the lead with an RBI double in the fifth before Jenice Casanas and Brenna Lokeinsky smacked back-to-back homeruns to left center in the sixth for a 6-3 advantage and to seal the game.
In the second game, after an Eagles' solo homerun in the second, Lokeinsly responded with her second homerun of the day in the third to even the score at 1-1.
Embry-Riddle added a run in the fourth and three in the fifth for a 5-1 favor.
Eckerd rallied in the fifth for two runs, both scoring on an error, but EC was unable to complete the comeback.
HOW IT ENDED
Game One
FINAL: Eckerd 6, Embry-Riddle 3
WP: Johnson(8-6) LP: Kinahan (14-10) HR: Lokeinsky (3), Casanas (2)
Game Two
FINAL: Embry-Riddle 5, Eckerd 3
WP: Morse (8-11) LP: Beauchaine (5-7) HR: Lokeinsky (4), Bain (2)
RECORDS: Eckerd 21-22 (6-20 SSC); Embry-Riddle 25-21 (12-14 SSC)
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- Wright led Eckerd in the opener with three hits, while Lokeinsly and Coiner each had two.
- Diaz led EC in the opener with two RBIs.
- Casanas hit her second homerun of the season in the opener, while Lokeinsky's two on the day give her four for the season.
- Lokeinsly has 12 career homeruns, ranking eighth in program history,
- Coiner collected three hits in the finale, while Lokeinsky and Redish each had two.
- Eckerd's win in the opener was their 21st of the season, the most since 2016, and the most wins in a season in head coach Katie Profitt's tenure.
UP NEXT
Eckerd and ERAU conclude the series tomorrow at 2:00 PM for senior day.