Game One l Game Two
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Warner University baseball team lost both games of their double header in walk-off fashion to NCAA-II Eckerd College on Saturday afternoon. The Royals lost game one by a score of 12-11 and game two by a 9-8 score. The losses drop the Royals to 2-4 on the season while the Tritons open their season 2-0.
Game One-
Justin Zanella put the Royals on the board in the 3rd inning with a solo homerun deep to right field, his first on the season. The homerun would spark a three run inning for the Royals answering the four-run second inning posted by the Tritons. The Royals would tack on two runs in the fifth and eighth inning bringing the game to within two runs, 9-7, setting up a dramatic ninth inning.
Hunter Reed led off the top of the ninth with a hit by a pitch. The Royals would send eight batters to the plate in the inning scoring four runs on only two hits and take an 11-9 lead, their first of the game. The Tritons answered back immediately in the bottom half putting the first two batters on base with a single and a walk. A wildpitch and passed ball allowed one run to score. Then, following an intentional pass by Jeff Jacobsen to load the bases, Wess Hollins singled up the middle bringing home the tying and winning runs for Eckerd College.
Starter Ryan Ruble went three innings allowing two earned runs with two strikeouts. Jeff Jacobsen (0-1) was the tough luck loser going two innings giving up four runs with only one earned.
Zanella finished 2-2 with a double, a homerun and two runs scored. He also tallied four walks. Dan Smith followed going 2-for-3 in the game with a double, three RBIs and two runs scored.
Game Two-
The Royals had a three hit first inning and took an early 1-0 lead to start game two. The Tritons, seemingly unfazed, sent nine batters to the plate in the bottom half and took a commanding 5-1 lead after one inning of play. The Royals began chipping away in the second inning when Casey Torrance connected on his first homerun of the season, a solo shot to right center. Dan Smith continued his NCAA-II dominance in game two blasting a 3-run homerun in the 5th inning bringing the score to within two, 7-5.
The Royals provided some late inning dramatics yet again in the top half of the 7th inning pushing three runs across to take a 8-7 lead. Phillip Keys got it started with a single and later scored on a single by Andy Paul. In the bottom half, three consecutive Tritons reached base via two walks and a hit. Eckerd's Joe Dabah then floated a single over the drawn-in infield to plate the tying and winning runs as the Royals were dealt their second consecutive walk-off loss.
Justin Zanella went two-for-three with a double and a run scored. Zanella reached base in nine consecutive plate appearances in the doubleheader before flying out to right field in the 6th inning of game two. Freshman Phillip Keys went 2-3 with 2 runs scored. Dan Smith finished 1-4 with a homerun and 3 RBIs.
Josh Castanza (0-1) took the loss on the mound for the Royals.
The Royals will travel up to Beaufort, S.C. next weekend, February 12 & 13, to open The Sun Conference play against USC-Beaufort. Friday’s game time is set for 1 p.m. and Saturday’s doubleheader will begin at 12 p.m.