WINTER PARK, Fla. (March 15, 2008) ' Rollins'
potent offense rolled up 21 hits in 16 innings of baseball to post
a split with Florida Tech in a Sunshine State Conference
doubleheader Saturday. Tech used a big fifth inning in game one to
hand Rollins a 10-6 defeat, but the Tars rode the arm of Mario
Lombardo in the nightcap, winning 3-1.
The Tars move to 20-7-1 and 2-3 in SSC play with the Panthers
sitting at 19-7-1, 4-4 SSC.
Lombardo improved his record to 6-0 on the year, throwing a
complete game and allowing just two hits and one unearned run with
six strikeouts. Matt White was the game one starter for Rollins and
was saddled with the loss, allowing seven runs on seven hits in
four and a third innings of work. Michael Eppich was solid in
relief for Rollins, throwing the final four and a third without
allowing a run.
Matt Schurig was the game one winner for the Panthers, allowing
four runs in six innings. Bryn McDonnell threw four innings of game
two and allowed two runs on six hits in a losing effort.
Bryan Bennett and Corey Whiting both went 4-8 on the day with an
RBI to pace the Rollins bats with Bennett also scoring twice and
Whiting stealing four bases. Gary Martoccio also had a big day,
going 3-7 with a run scored.
Chris Fox hit 2-7 with three RBI on the day for Tech while Kevin
Villa, Michael Demma, Eric Trillas and JD Davidson also banged out
a pair of hits.
Rollins jumped ahead in the first frame of game one as Gene
Howard belted a two out single, Mike Crane drew a walk and Bennett
knocked in Howard with a base hit up the middle. Crane then scored
after Martoccio reached on an error by the Tech first baseman,
making it 2-0. The visitors then tied it up in the top of the
second on a Tyler Wright RBI triple to right center and Davidson
RBI single. Rollins jumped back on top in their next at bat as
Luker doubled in Whiting with two outs.
Florida Tech got two more in the fourth to regain the lead, and
then blew the game open with six in the fifth to make it 10-3.
Rollins allowed just three hits in the inning, but an error, three
walks and a hit batsmen led to the six runs. Rollins got one back
in their half of the fifth as Bennett doubled, then scored in an
error to make it 10-4. The Tars got one more in the seventh on a
Eugene Martinez RBI single and another in the eighth on a Luker
solo homer.
In game two, Martoccio led of the Rollins second with a triple
and Jesse More knocked in him for a 1-0 Rollins lead. Singles by
Ben Hewett and Whiting brought More around and gave Rollins a 2-0
advantage. Lombardo then went to work and rarely got into any
trouble throughout the game. The Panther's lone score came in the
sixth when Nick Brennan reached on a Tars error to lead off the
frame and eventually scored on a Brendan Twomey groundout. More
singled to start off the Tars sixth and a little small ball brought
him around to score for the Tars insurance run, making it 3-1.
Rollins and Florida Tech will conclude their conference series
on Sunday, March 16 with a 1 p.m. start at Alfond Stadium.
GAME ONE BOX
GAME TWO BOX