Taylor drives in eight to lead Tritons to 16-4 win over Bucs

ST. PETERSBURG -- Hannah Taylor drove in eight runs to lead the Eckerd softball team to a 16-4 win over the visiting Barry Buccaneers on Friday.

It did not take long for the Tritons to pull away from the Bucs, putting up eight runs in the opening inning on seven hits. Taylor produced the first run with her RBI double to bring in Lex Difato before Saige Sampson brought home the second tally with a single through the left side. Two batters later, Maddie Bostack doubled the advantage for the Tritons with a two-run single, and was followed by another run-scoring hit by Gracie Ciccarello moments later. Taylor cleared the bases to close out the frame with her second double of the inning and make it an 8-0 game.

Bostack delivered her third RBI to kick off a busy second inning that saw six Tritons cross home plate. Ciccarello also collected her second run driven in with her second hit of the contest to push the margin to double figures. Two batters later, Taylor cleared the bases once more, this time sending the ball over the right-field fence for a grand slam to give her eight RBI in two innings. Eckerd led 14-0 after the second. 

Barry scored four in the third, but the Tritons countered with two more in the bottom half. After Bostack tripled with two outs and nobody on, an error by the Bucs on a strikeout brought her in to extend the inning. Difato then collected her third hit of the night to give the team its 16th run. 

Brandilyn Reymer retired the final six batters she faced to close out the fourth and fifth and complete the win by run rule. Reymer struck out seven and secured her 12th win of the season. As a team, the Tritons had 14 hits, led by Taylor and Difato with three apiece. 

Games two and three of the series will take place tomorrow.