ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – It took a few innings for the Embry-Riddle softball team to get things going Friday night at the Turley Athletic Complex, as the Eagles (13-5, 6-1) scored nine runs over the final four innings to come back from a 4-0 deficit to take the series opener against Eckerd (7-11, 4-6) by a final score of 9-5.
After the two teams exchanged zeros for two innings, the Tritons put the first runs of the night on the board, as Skylar Redish went deep with the bases loaded and two away in the inning for her second longball of the year to give Eckerd a 4-0 lead.
ERAU would answer back with a run in the fourth inning, as
ReAnne Drayton doubled down the left field line to bring in
Katy Thompson from second after she reached on an error to lead off the frame.
The Eagles would explode for four runs in the fifth inning to take the lead 5-4. After back-to-back singles by
Savannah Brockenbrough and
Caitlinjoy Hammer to start the frame,
Lia Johnson drove a pitch into the left center gap to bring around Brockenbrough.
Maggie Scott followed with an infield single to second that would plate Hammer to make it 4-3. After a flyout by Thompson advanced Johnson to third,
Lisa Hop reached on a bunt single that would see Johnson score to tie the game at four all. Drayton would put the Blue & Gold ahead, as a well-executed squeeze play brought Scott in from third to make it 5-4.
ERAU would keep their foot on the gas, as two more runs would cross in the sixth inning when Scott drove a double to right field to plate Brockenbrough and
Jamie Mead to make it 7-4.
An Eckerd run would cross in the bottom of the inning as Hannah Famiano scored on an Ally Costa two-out single to left field to trim the lead to 7-5.
Two big insurance runs would come across for the Eagles in the seventh, as
Michy Ramos singled the other way to plate Drayton.
Jamie Mead also found some real estate in right to score pinch runner
Rachel Bryant from second base to make it a 9-5 game.
Jayla Jackson (7-2) went the distance, allowing five runs on nine hits while striking out six against a pair of walks. Scott finished the night 2-4 with three runs batted in, while Drayton turned in a 2-for-3 game that saw her drive in two. Mead went 2-4 with a run scored and Brockenbrough recorded a 2-3 game that saw her earn a walk and score twice.
The series will conclude with a doubleheader Saturday set for a 12 p.m. start time.
