WINTER PARK , Fla. (April 11, 2006) The Rollins baseball team
bounced back from a tough weekend series to beat Embry-Riddle
University , 11-8. The Tars (22-17) powered past the Eagles with a
season high four home-runs. Senior reliever Rob Cloar pitched well
in relief of Jon Wano, and was able to pick up his second victory
on the season. Junior Gene Howard got his fourth save on the year
to go along with his team best fifth homer on the season. The
Eagles posted runs in each of the first four innings, but still
couldn't put together enough offense to get past Rollins. The Tars
used a seven run fourth inning to dart past the hard hitting
Eagles.
'
The
Tars were led at the dish by sophomore first baseman Stefano Foggi.
Foggi had the best night of his Tars career, going 2-3 with two
runs scored, two home-runs, three RBI and a walk. Freshman catcher
Eugene Martinez also lit up the stat book going 3-4 with three runs
scored and his first collegiate home-run. Junior third baseman Gene
Howard went 3-5 on the night, scoring two runs, driving in three
runs, while hitting his fifth homer of the season in the third.
Freshman outfielder Anthony Soto went 1-5 with a run scored and two
RBI. And senior outfielder Brent Magnuson went 2-5 with a run
scored and a RBI.
'
The
Eagles stormed out of the gate in the top of the first inning.
Embry-Riddle posted three runs in the first on four hits. The key
hit in the inning was a two-run homer by Amadis Padilla to straight
out center field. The Eagles added another run in the next inning
on a RBI double by Shawn Williams, making it 4-0. Embry-Riddle
extended their lead to 5-0 on a two base error due to a failed pick
off attempt in the top of the third. The Tars were able to get a
run back leading off the bottom of the third. Stefano Foggi led off
the inning with a solo blast to left field to make it 5-1. Gene
Howard kept the offense going with a two run homer a few batters
later to deep right center to cut the Eagle lead to 5-3. The Eagles
would fight back with another run in the fourth thanks to another
Tar mishap in the field.
'
The
mighty Tars bats awakened in the bottom half of the fourth. Rollins
exploded for seven runs in the inning on six hits. 13 Tar hitters
came to bat with 10 players reaching base. All seven of the Tars
runs in the inning were scored with two outs. Stefano Foggi began
the fireworks with a solo home run, his second in as many innings.
Gene Howard drove in a run with a laser up the middle. Soto
followed with a two-RBI single up the middle. Magnuson then doubled
down the line scoring Soto. The Eagles then proceeded to walk two
runners in on eight pitches.
'
The
Tars added another run in the seventh on Eugene Martinez's solo
homer to deep left field. The Eagles tried to make it respectable
in the eighth with two more runs, chasing Cloar out after 4.1
innings of solid work. However, the bullpen righted the ship and
Gene Howard closed the door in the ninth and the Tars won 11-8.
'
Rollins will hit the field once again on Thursday night when they
will host the defending NCAA Division II National Champions,
Florida Southern for the beginning of a three game set. First pitch
is set for 7 pm on Thursday night. The Tars and Mocs will then go
back to battle on Friday afternoon for a double-header beginning at
1 pm.
