ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Eckerd baseball team split a pair of high-scoring bouts, falling in game one of the doubleheader 16-10 before rallying back to a 7-6 series-finale victory.
Despite a 17-hit outburst, Eckerd couldn't keep pace with Florida Tech, falling 16-10 in the opener. After sacrificing nine runs in the opening three innings, Eckerd struggled to mount a comeback. The closest margin Eckerd ever came within in the day's opener was three, after a four-run third inning for both teams saw the Tritons trailing 9-6.
The Tritons strung together rallies in the middle innings to keep the game within reach. Zade Stark and Christian Cabina combined for five hits and six runs, with Cabina driving in two. A three-run third and a pair of unearned runs in the sixth helped Eckerd chip away, and Cabina's RBI single in the seventh cut the deficit to six, but Eckerd stranded runners in the final three innings, as the Panthers took the game 16-10.
Eckerd bounced back in game two of Saturday's doubleheader. After the Panthers tied the game at 1-1 on Pedro Figueroa's solo homer in the second, the Tritons took advantage of three Florida Tech errors to score two unearned runs across the first three innings. The Panthers briefly surged ahead in the fourth behind a three-run rally to go up 4-2.
Eckerd answered in the sixth with a four-run frame Jordan Alzate's two-run double tied the game before Joey Bazydlo's RBI groundout and Luis Garrido's sacrifice fly pushed the Tritons in front. They added a key insurance run in the seventh when Bazydlo walked with the bases loaded, scoring what proved to be the game-winning run. Guthrie pulled the Panthers within one on a solo shot in the ninth, but Nate Rainey shut the door to earn the save after three innings of relief. Starter Nate Norwood earned his first win of the season in Eckerd's 7-6 victory.
HOW IT ENDED
Game One
FINAL: Florida Tech 16, Eckerd 10
WP: Skarbek (3-0) LP: Gargett (2-2) HR: FT - Burke (7), Figueroa (3)
Game Two
FINAL: Eckerd 7, Florida Tech 6
WP: Norwood (1-3) LP: Anderson (1-3) S: Rainey (1) HR: FT - Figueroa (4), Guthrie (2)
RECORDS: Eckerd 10-26 (5-13 SSC), Florida Tech 23-18 (13-11 SSC)
NOTES AND NUMBERS
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Cabina hit a perfect 3-for-3 in the day's opener, while Kam Gelwick hit 4-for-5.
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Cabina led the Tritons with four RBIs in the series.
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Nathan Norwood and Nick Rainey earned their first win and save of the season respectively.
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Cooper Nelson was strong in relief in game one, striking out five while facing 12 batters, allowing no runs or hits over 3.1 innings of work.
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Eckerd turned two double-plays on the day.
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Dawson Jones hit 3-for-5 with one RBI in the finale.
UP NEXT
Eckerd plays their final midweek matchup at Saint Leo in Saint Leo, Fla. on Tuesday at 6:00 PM.
