After spending two seasons going back and forth from the rotation to the bullpen, Eckerle has come into his own this year as a starting pitcher for the LIU Post Pioneers. Second on the team in wins with 3, he went 3-3 with a 2.37 ERA in 7 starts. Eckerle has fooled opponents all season long, leading the team in strikeouts with 68 in 49.1 innings, and opponents have hit a paltry .223 against the lefty. He was named to the East Coast Conference first team for his efforts.
Eckerle has been a strikeout pitcher since he came to LIU Post, recording 57 strikeouts in just 41.2 innings in his first two years. In that time, he went 4-0 and opponents only hit .177 against him in 2012.
Before becoming a Pioneer, Eckerle attended Hewlett High School where he earned all-county and all-conference honors, as well as setting the school record with 18 strikeouts in one game.