LAKELAND, Fla. - After dropping the series opener last night, the Eckerd softball team responded to take the first game of the twinbill 4-0 to force a rubber match. The Triton rallied to force extra innings before taking the series with an eight inning 2-1 win over Florida Southern on the road Saturday afternoon.
Eckerd got on the board first in the opener with a sacrifice fly in the first inning. The Tritons made it a 4-0 favor in the fourth via a two-run single by Lex Difato and an RBI single by Taylor. Meanwhile, Julia Heter kept the Moc off the board, scattering five hits.
FSC got on the board first with an RBI single in the third. The Mocs kept the Triton bats at bay over the first six innings before Eckerd finally got on the board in the seventh to tie the game at 1-1 and force extra innings off Julia Heter's RBI single. In the eighth, Ella Coiner ripped an infield single, scoring Difato, for the 2-1 tilt. Heter coaxed three pop ups to seal the game.
HOW IT ENDED
Game One
FINAL: Eckerd 4, FSC 0
WP: Heter (6-2) LP: Hickey (3-5)
Game Two
FINAL: Eckerd 2, FSC 1 (8 Innings)
WP: Heter (7-2) LP: Aitken (3-10)
RECORDS: Eckerd 16-10 (7-5 SSC); Florida Southern 7-24 (2-13 SSC)
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- Taylor added two hits in the opener with two RBIs.
- Difato added two RBIs in game one.
- Heter went 2-for-3 with the game-tying RBI in the finale. She also earned the win, tossing the final two innings while allowing just one hit.
- Heter earned the win in both games with five strikeouts over nine innings. She has earned the win in each of her last five appearances.
- Eckerd took the series over the Mocs for the first time since 2022.
UP NEXT
Eckerd travels to the Space Coast Games on Tuesday for games against Saint Anselm (Mass.) and Post (Conn.) at 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM.
