WINTER PARK, Fla. (March 28, 2008) ' Senior
right-hander Mario Lombardo won his eight straight start in the
Rollins baseball team's 7-4 victory over Florida Southern in
Sunshine State Conference action at Alfond Stadium on Friday
night.' The Tars improved to 22-11-1 overall and 4-5 in SSC play,
dropping the Moccasins to 14-19, 3-7.
Lombardo (8-0) struck out nine in his seven and one third
innings of work, allowing four runs on 11 hits and no walks.' The
Altamonte Springs, Fla. native retired 12 straight batters at one
point, six of which were strikeouts.' Sophomore right-hander Robbie
Pagano relieved him in the eighth and picked up his third save of
the year in one and two thirds scoreless innings.
Senior left fielder Mike Crane had a big day at the plate,
hitting 3-5 and driving in four of the Tars' seven runs.' Senior
first baseman Stefano Foggi (2-2, double, one run, one RBI), senior
third baseman Gene Howard (2-4, double, one run), and sophomore
shortstop Ryan Luker (2-5, homerun, one run, one RBI) also were
productive with the bat.
Crane and junior designated hitter Bryan Bennett drove in runs
in the first inning to give Rollins an early 2-0 lead, but Florida
Southern designated hitter Brian Schultz tied the game with a
two-run homerun in the top of the second.' The Tars quickly took
the lead again with three more runs in the bottom of the second,
highlighted by RBI singles by Crane and Foggi.' Luker's fourth
inning solo homerun pushed the Tars' lead to 6-2.
Florida Southern rallied off Lombardo in the top of the eighth
on RBI singles by Schultz and shortstop Robbie Shields.' Pagano
came in with the potential go-ahead runner at the plate, but a
strikeout and a flyout ended the Moccasins' scoring threat.' After
an insurance run by Rollins in the bottom of the eighth, Pagano
retired the side in the ninth to clinch the victory for
Rollins.
Stephen Batman (1-3) was credited with the loss for Florida
Southern, giving up five runs through one and two thirds innings.'
Randy Cseh, Ryan Koch, and Jeremy Thorne combined to give up two
runs over the next six and one third innings, keeping the Moccasins
close.' Schultz led Florida Southern at the plate, hitting 3-4 with
a homerun and three RBI.
Rollins and Florida Southern will return to Alfond Stadium to
finish the SSC series on Sunday, March 30 with a doubleheader
starting at 1:00 p.m.' Fans can listen to all the action live on
the Citizens Bank of Florida Tars Sports Network at www.RollinsSports.tv.
