ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The fourth-ranked Barry University softball team (31-2, 9-0 SSC) closed out a three-game series with the Eckerd Tritons (8-38, 2-10 SSC) for its third straight Sunshine State Conference sweep on Sunday afternoon. The Buccaneers won the first game 6-1 and closed out with a five-inning 15-0 win in the nightcap at the Turley Athletic Complex.
Ashley Likens went 5-for-5 on at the plate with three doubles, three sacrifice flies and drove in eight runs to help pace the Buccaneer offensive efforts. Cristina DeTagle added five hits and scored five runs, while Brittany Anderson and Shyla Rider each added four hits. Amber Jack and Jessica Bevlin split the duties in the circle with each earning a win, while Jack collected a save. The save was the sixth of her career, breaking the mark of five she had shared with Stephanie Caldwell (1997-2000) for the most in program history.
Likens drove in the Bucs first three runs of the game starting with an RBI single in the first inning followed by sacrifice flies in the third and fifth innings to give Barry a 3-0 lead. Eckerd scored a single run in the fourth inning, but a three-run seventh closed the door on the Tritons. Rider started the scoring with an RBI double, and then Likens hit her third straight sacrifice fly that allowed Rider to score. Megan Young capped off the Bucs’ seventh-inning run with an RBI double.
Anderson went 3-for-3 at the plate and scored three times to pace the Buccaneer efforts, while Likens drove in four of the Bucs’ six runs. Both Rider and DeTagle collected two hits apiece. Janelle Sedoris scored the lone run for Eckerd. Bevlin (4-0) tossed the first 4.2 innings, struck out four and walked six, while allowing just one unearned run in the win for Barry. Jack came in and struck out five in the final 2.1 innings to earn her second save of the season. Christina Hughes (3-8) gave up six runs on nine hits and struck out five in the Eckerd loss.
Instead of waiting until the later innings as had been the case in the two earlier games, the Buccaneers scored 15 total runs in the first three innings to win the final game 15-0 in five innings by NCAA run-rule. The Bucs scored three in the first, four in the second and then added eight in the third inning to account for the scores. Seven of the Bucs eight runs in the third were unearned.
Likens went 4-for-4 at the plate with a pair of doubles and drove in another four runs to lead Barry at the plate. Cristina DeTagle was 3-for-3 and scored three, while Natalie Heeley followed with three hits in four at bats. Rider’s 2-for-2 performance yielded an additional three RBI on the day. The Bucs finished the five-inning affair with 18 hits.
Jack (17-0) allowed just four hits and struck out three to pick up her 17th-straight win on the season, while Eckerd used a platoon rotation to close out the series. Mackenzie Dawson (2-14) gave up seven runs in the first 1.1 innings of duty on nine hits to suffer the loss. Melissa Flint went the next 1.1 innings giving up eight runs (one earned), while Hughes closed out the final 2.1 innings without allowing a run.
The Buccaneers will return to Buccaneer Field on Friday, April 4 hosting #22 Saint Leo in conference action at 7 pm in the first of a three-game series.
Game 1
Barry 6, Eckerd 1 (03/30/2008 at St. Petersburg, Fla.)
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Barry............... 101 010 3 - 6 9 1 (30-2, 8-0 SSC)
Eckerd.............. 000 100 0 - 1 3 3 (8-37, 2-9 SSC)
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Pitchers: Barry - Jessica Bevlin; Amber Jack(5). Eckerd - Christina Hughes.
Win-Jessica Bevlin(4-0) Save-Amber Jack(2) Loss-Christina Hughes(3-8) T-1:50 A-0
Game: SB0330A
Game 2
Barry 15, Eckerd 0 (03/30/2008 at St. Petersburg, Fla.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------Barry............... 348 00 - 15 18 0 (31-2, 9-0 SSC)
Eckerd.............. 000 00 - 0 4 3 (8-38, 2-10 SSC)
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Pitchers: Barry - Amber Jack. Eckerd - Mackenzie Dawson; Melissa Flint(2); Christina Hughes(3).
Win-Amber Jack(17-0) Loss-Mackenzie Dawson(2-14) T-1:21 A-44
Game: SB0330B