The Rollins baseball team (20-8-1, 2-4 SSC) will look to rebound
this week after losing two of three to Florida Tech last weekend.'
The Tars will host non-conference opponent Tiffin (4-5) on
Wednesday before traveling west to face No. 30 Saint Leo (21-8, 4-2
SSC) in a Sunshine State Conference series on Friday and Saturday.'
The Lions are currently in second place in the SSC behind Lynn,
while Rollins dropped to' eighth in the conference.
ROLLINS BASEBALL ON THE AIR: The Citizens Bank
of Florida Tars Sports Network is scheduled to air live audio of
all 56 games of the 2008 Rollins baseball schedule live on www.RollinsSports.tv. Fans can
also follow the games online with live stats on the Tars' home on
the Web, www.RollinsSports.com.
IN THE RANKINGS: Saint Leo is currently ranked
No. 30 in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper national poll, and the
Lions came in fourth in this week's NCBWA South Region poll, just
ahead of No. 5 Rollins.
NEWS: Rollins senior pitcher Mario Lombardo was
named SSC Pitcher of the Week on Monday after his three-hit
complete game win against Florida Tech in Game Two of last
Saturday's doubleheader.' Lombardo made two total appearances
during the week, not allowing an earned run through eight innings
while striking out seven.
LAST TIME OUT: After scoring three runs in the
second inning of Sunday's SSC game at Alfond Stadium on Sunday
afternoon, the Rollins baseball team was shut out through the next
seven innings in a 4-3 loss to Florida Tech.' Tiffin continued its
hot hitting in a pair of wins over Davis & Elkins and Ohio
Dominican on Tuesday.' The Dragons pounded out 25 hits on the day,
beating Davis & Elkins 8-3 and Ohio Dominican 13-5.' Saint Leo
defeated Eckerd by a score of 26-12 on Sunday afternoon, helping
the Lions take two out of three in the Sunshine State Conference
series.
SCOUTING THE TARS: Rollins features one of the
top lineups in the SSC, led by left fielder Mike Crane (.379 AVG, 3
HR, 25 RBI), third baseman Gene Howard (.410 AVG, 2 HR, 19 RBI),
and center fielder Corey Whiting (.388 AVG, 2 HR, 25 SB).' Mario
Lombardo is off to an excellent start to lead the Rollins rotation,
going 6-0 with an ERA of 1.63.' Robbie Pagano has been the top arm
out of the bullpen, making 10 appearances, saving two games with a
2.08 ERA.
SCOUTING THE DRAGONS: First baseman Paul
Robbins is Tiffin's top returning hitter, coming off a 2007 season
in which he batted .415 with 4 HR and 41 RBI.' Right-hander Tom
Podulka returns after a fine freshman season in which he went 2-4
with a 2.92 ERA in 12 games and 11 starts.
SCOUTING THE LIONS: Saint Leo's explosive
lineup features six starting position players hitting .350 or
better, and shortstop Bobby Munoz leads the way at .431.' The Lions
also have hit a conference-best 54 homeruns, with outfielder T.J.
Alonzo hitting 14 already this year.' Right-hander Carter Clements
leads the SLU rotation with a 5-1 record and a 3.07 ERA.
LAST MEETING: Last season Saint Leo took two of
three from the Tars at Alfond Stadium in the SSC series, and the
Lions defeated Rollins later in Saint Leo in non-conference
play.
LOOKING AHEAD: After the weekend series,
Rollins will return to Winter Park for a four-game homestand.' The
Tars will host South Region opponent Lincoln Memorial on Wednesday,
March 26, and they will come back to play arch-rival Florida
Southern in a single game on Friday, March 28 and a doublehader on
Sunday, March 30.
TARS TIDBITS: Rollins and Saint Leo each rank
among the top teams in the SSC in offensive production; the Tars
lead the conference in batting average at .344, and the Lions are
right behind at .343; SLU ranks first in the SSC in slugging
percentage (.581), on-base percentage (.439), and runs scored (294)
... Mike Crane and Stefano Foggi each hit their 10th career homerun
and drove in their 100th career RBI on 3/12 against Bridgeport ...
Corey Whiting's 26-game hitting streak which was snapped on 3/16
against Florida Tech was the longest for a Rollins player this
decade ... Gene Howard needs just two hits to reach 200 in his
career ... Whiting's 25 stolen bases this year are 11 more than the
next highest tally in the SSC (Florida Tech's Michael Demma at 14)
... Mario Lombardo leads the SSC in innings pitched (49.2) and
strikeouts (44); former Tar David Nathanson led the SSC in those
categories in 2007 ... Gary Martoccio and Whiting are the Tars'
active leaders in career stolen bases with 41 each.
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