ST. PETERSBURG — The Eckerd baseball team fell to the No. 2 ranked Tampa Spartans by a final score of 18-5 on Friday. 

Eckerd initially built momentum in the first inning, capitalizing on a fielding error to begin the game with consecutive run-scoring singles from Christian Cabina and Luis Garrido. Corey Hodierne's RBI single in the second inning regained the lead for the Tritons after the Spartans scored twice in the top half. 

Tampa pushed across the next 15 runs of the game to go up 17-3. A fielder's choice and a balk accounted for Eckerd's final two tallies of the game.

Joey Bazydlo scored two runs for the Tritons, while Hodierne added to the offense with two hits and one RBI, while also scoring a run. Cabina matched Hodierne's performance with two hits and one RBI. Ean Gimson also walked and scored twice. 

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