SAINT LEO, Fla. - Despite a close game in the day's opener, the Eckerd baseball team dropped the double header 7-6, and 10-0 to No. 3 Saint Leo on the road on Saturday afternoon.
The Tritons started the day hot, with a 2-0 lead after three innings. An RBI triple by Joe Wike allowed Eckerd to strike first before scoring on an error in the third. The Lions flipped the script in the fourth, with a four-run inning to take the lead. Bradley White brought the Tritons within one in the sixth to make the score 4-3.
Saint Leo built on its lead, adding three runs over the next two innings. Eckerd clawed back within one once again to trail 7-6 in the top of the ninth. A single to right field by Cole Schumaker brought home Alex Brazer for the Tritons' sixth run. With one out and two on, Eckerd was in a good position to tie the game. Kam Gelwick reached on a fielder's choice and the Lions got the lead runner out. Gelwick and Jake Fajardo both stole to have two in scoring position with two outs. Jennings threw one final strikeout for the Lions to narrowly take the 7-6 win.
In the series finale, Saint Leo took an early lead 1-0 in the bottom of the second. A two-run inning the bottom of the fifth put the Lions up 3-0 before an explosive seven-run inning in the seventh retired the game to run-rule, 10-0.
HOW IT ENDED
Game One
FINAL: Saint Leo 7, Eckerd 6
WP: Wolf (5-0) LP: Nelson (0-1) S: Jennings (8)
Game Two
FINAL: Saint Leo 10, Eckerd 0 (7 Innings)
WP: Walter (4-2) LP: Cox (1-3) HR: Adams (3)
RECORDS: Eckerd 17-26 (5-19 SSC); No. 3 Saint Leo 37-6 (20-4 SSC)
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- Reid Lisle went 4-for-5 in the day's opener.
- Kyle Ericson, Schumaker, and Gelwick also had a multi-hit performance in the opener with two hits apiece.
- EC outhit SLU 14-9 in the opener, and the Tritons' bullpen outperformed the Lions' 7-5 in strikeouts.
- Christian Perez and Schumaker were the lone Tritons to record a hit in the series finale.
UP NEXT
The Tritons return to the Turley Athletic Complex, Friday, for their final home series of the season against Embry-Riddle (Fla.) at 6:00 PM.