ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - A nine-run first inning propelled the Eckerd baseball team to a seven-inning, 15-0 shutout victory over the Tiffin (Ohio) Dragons at the Turley Athletic Complex on Wednesday night.
With the bases loaded in the first, Zade Stark blasted his second grand slam of the season at the Turley Athletic Complex for Eckerd to jump out to a comfortable 4-0 lead. Eckerd nearly made it through their order twice in the frame, adding five more runs thanks to a two-RBI double from Coltin Pizzio, a pair of RBI singles for Jordan Alzate and Kam Gelwick, and Stark's fifth RBI in the same inning.
Alzate added two more for the Tritons in the second, racking the tally up to double-digits. The Dragons were able to fend off the Tritons for one scoreless inning in the third before a fielders choice RBI for Gelwick brought the Tritons to 12-0 in the fourth. Reid Lisle came in to pinch hit in the sixth, and smacked a cold three-run knock to bring Eckerd to 15 runs. Jack Lizewski came in relief in the seventh, facing five batters and striking out two to seal the shutout.
HOW IT ENDED
FINAL: Eckerd 15, Tiffin (Ohio) 0 (7 Innings)
WP: Thoms (1-2) LP: Dinnen (1-4) HR: Stark (2), Lisle (1)
RECORDS: Eckerd 4-14 (1-5 SSC); Tiffin 7-4
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- Both of Stark's homeruns on the season were grand slams.
- With five RBIs in the first inning, Stark set the program record for RBIs in an inning.
- Stark led the Tritons with season-tying five RBIs. Alzate and Lisle each registered three, while Gelwick and Pizzio rounded out the scoring with two RBIs each.
- Alzate, Stark, and Pizzio all went 3-for-4.
- Jacob Thomas earned his first win of the season, with eight strikeouts and only three hits through six innings of work.
UP NEXT
Eckerd will host Shippensburg (Pa.) Friday at the Turley Athletic Complex for a three-day, three-game series, with first pitch at 6:00 PM.
