ST. PETERSBURG -- The Eckerd Tritons softball team erased a pair of deficits on Saturday to win twice and complete the sweep over the Barry Buccaneers, taking game one by a score of 8-6 before securing the finale with a 5-3 final.
In game one, an error on a double steal gave the Tritons a 1-0 lead in their opening at-bat. Barry answered with a three-spot in the following inning for its first lead of the series, but Eckerd struck back with four in the bottom of the third to reclaim a 5-3 lead. The team saw five hits in the four-run frame, but the first run came across on
Faith Wharton's RBI groundout after a single and double began the inning.
Abby Lucas followed with an infield single to tie the game, and
Molly Scott brought in the go-ahead score with a base hit up the middle two batters later.
Gracie Ciccarello capped off the scoring surge with an RBI single to make it a two-run lead for the Tritons.Â
The Buccaneers shifted momentum back in their favor with two runs in the fourth and another in the fifth to move back in front 6-5. In the bottom of the sixth, Eckerd saw the first three batters reach base to load the bases with nobody out, and
Kinsley Castro cashed in with a one-out, three-run double to give the Tritons the lead for good.
Brandilyn Reymer struck out two in a three-up, three-down seventh to secure the win.
Castro and
Ella Coiner led the team with two hits apiece, while Reymer won her 13th game of the season after earning the victory in relief.
In game two, the Tritons again faced two different deficits, beginning with the Bucs collecting a run in the top of the first for a 1-0 lead. Coiner helped the team answer back in the bottom half with an RBI double, but Barry pushed two across in the second for a 3-1 advantage.Â
Following a scoreless third, Eckerd plated four in the fourth to claim its first lead of the game. Again, the first three batters reached to load the bases after a pair of singles and a walk.
Hannah Taylor drove in the game-tying runs with a double to right to bring in two, while Coiner's infield single during the next at-bat sent home the go-ahead score. Lucas notched an insurance run for the Tritons with an RBI single to close out the inning.Â
Elise Roy went nine up and nine down on the mound through the final three innings to keep the Bucs off the scoreboard. She earned the win in relief after pitching five scoreless innings and not allowing a hit.
With the wins, Eckerd improves to 23-6 overall and 13-2 in the SSC. The team will be back in action next weekend at Palm Beach Atlantic.
