ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Eckerd baseball team split the doubleheader to close the series with the No. 12 ranked Moccasins, by taking game one 6-3, before falling in the rubber match 13-4 on Saturday at the Turley Athletic Complex.
A four-run second inning propelled Eckerd to a 6-3 victory in the day's opener. Eckerd's starter, Ryan Gargett, was strong on the mound, allowing only three hits and one run through 5.2 innings of work, while fanning nine strikeouts to keep the Moccasins at bay. A bases-loaded walk, and a pair of RBI singles put Eckerd ahead 4-0 early. Gargett kept the Mocs scoreless for four complete innings, where Florida Southern got on the board by stealing home. Christian Cabina sent one over the left fence in the fifth, before adding an RBI single in the seventh for Eckerd to lead 6-1.
Jacob Thomas came in relief and earned the save, adding four more strikeouts for the Triton pitching staff. A two-run single by the Mocs in the eighth put the pressure on the Tritons, but Eckerd ended the game in the top of the ninth, with Thomas striking the last Moc out swinging for the 6-3 victory.
With the series knotted at one, Florida Southern took the series with a dominant 13-4 victory. The Mocs opened the game with three consecutive four-run innings, quickly working up to a 12-1 advantage. With the game looking like it would end in run rule, Eckerd rallied in the bottom of the seventh to keep the game going. A two-run double by Dawson Jones and an RBI single by Zade Stark kept the Tritons going in the bottom of the seventh. Florida Southern added one more insurance run in the top of the eighth, with the game going the full nine innings, for Florida Southern to take the series with a 13-4 win.
HOW IT ENDED
Game One
FINAL: Eckerd 6, No. 12 Florida Southern 6
WP: Gargett (1-0) LP: Jung (3-2) S: Thomas (1) HR: Cabina (1)
Game Two
FINAL: Florida Southern 13, Eckerd 4
WP: Fox (1-1) LP: Nelson (1-1)
RECORDS: Eckerd 6-20 (2-7 SSC), No. 12 Florida Southern 18-5 (7-2 SSC)
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- Gargett's nine strikeouts were a career-high.
- Cabina and Jones each tabbed three RBIs on the day.
- Cabina's homerun was his first of the season.
- Cabina hit 4-for-7 on the day, while Dylan Escobar went 3-for-4 in the opener.
UP NEXT
Eckerd hosts another conference series Friday, against the Barry Buccaneers at 6:00 PM at the Turley Athletic Complex.
