ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Eckerd softball team split its first conference doubleheader against Embry-Riddle (Fla.), after dropping the day's opener 17-13 before rallying for a 8-4 closing victory at the Turley Athletic Complex on Saturday afternoon.
The day opened with two scoreless innings before the Eagles opened the scoring in the top of the third. A three-run shot by Mattea Martin broke the game open for a 3-0 ERAU lead. The Tritons retaliated with three runs of their own on a pair of RBI singles from Addisan Langston and Ashley Cain. Gracie Ciccarello got caught in a rundown between first and second, allowing Julia Heter to score to tie the game at three aside.
A twelve-run fourth inning catapulted the Eagles to a commanding 15-3 lead, but the Tritons did not give up, rallying back with four runs in the fourth and five in the fifth to narrow the deficit to 15-12. Embry-Riddle tacked on two more runs in the sixth to grow its tally to 17, when Hannah Taylor added her fourth RBI of the game to give Eckerd 13. Lex DiFato and Abby Lucas made back-to-back diving plays in the outfield to keep the Eagles from any further damage in the seventh. With a runner on second and no outs in the seventh, Eckerd was close to mounting a comeback. The Eagles were able to prevent the Tritons from another run with a double play and a final out to close game one, 17-13.
Ella Coiner struck first with a three-run knock to open the scoring in the series finale. With the Tritons holding a 3-0 lead through the fourth, Embry-Riddle flipped the script in the fifth inning scoring four to take the 4-3 lead. Eckerd answered back with four of their own in the bottom of the frame, with a solo homerun by Taylor to tie the game followed by three more runs. An RBI double by Coiner in the sixth provided insurance for Eckerd to take the finale 8-4.
HOW IT ENDED
Game One
FINAL: ERAU 17, Eckerd 13
WP: Tinajero (1-0) LP: Heter (2-2) S: Wood (2) HR: ERAU - Martin (1)
Game Two
FINAL: Eckerd 8, ERAU 4
WP: Reymer (2-2) LP: Kinahan (1-1) HR: EC - Coiner (3), Taylor (3)
RECORDS: Eckerd 4-5 (1-2 SSC); ERAU 8-2 (2-1 SSC)
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- Taylor and Coiner paved the way for the Tritons with five RBIs apiece on the day.
- Taylor notched a career-high four RBIs in game one.
- Brandilyn Reymer tossed a complete game in the finale, plating eight strikeouts to tie her career-high. She fanned 16 on the weekend with a 1.5 ERA.
- Difato and Coiner each tallied six hits on the day.
- Eckerd combined for 25 hits and 21 runs on the day.
UP NEXT
Eckerd hosts Western University (Can.) for a doubleheader at 6:00 PM on Tuesday at the Turley Athletic Complex.
