WINTER PARK, Fla. –
The Rollins College baseball team avenged their game one loss,
18-9, with a 3-2 come-from-behind victory in the latter contest of
their opening day doubleheader against West Florida, Sunday
afternoon at Alfond Stadium.
Senior Jesse More paced the Tars (1-1) with five hits,
four runs scored and a triple in his 2009 debut. Outfielder Taylor
Ferguson tallied a team-high three RBI-effort, while newcomers
Josh Band and John
Avanzino dropped in two RBIs apiece.
In the first game, the Argonauts (1-1) jumped on the board with a
pair of runs after registering three hits. Greg Pron led off the
first with a single to right field. He later scored after a
hit-by-pitch and a Lee Huggins single up the middle. Erik Kroll
hit a deep single to left field that scored Jack Materne, who
reached on the hit-by-pitch.
Rollins stormed back with a six-run first inning, which included
four hits. With runners on first and second base, Avanzino blasted
a single through the right side to score More, who reached on a
single of his own. The Tars continued the one-out rally with a
walk and an RBI hit-by-pitch by Ryan
Luker. Ben Hewett capitalized on the next at bat with an
RBI single. Band capped off the inning with two-run RBI single to
center field.
Leading 6-2, the teams exchanged runs until the Argos dropped
seven-straight runs to take a 10-7 lead. Rollins countered in the
bottom of the fourth with two runs when Taylor
Ferguson smashed a double to right centerfield that scored More
and Yount.
The Argos went on to score eight more unanswered run to claim the
victory.
Freshman Andrew Loynaz (0-1) received the loss in his
relief appearance, while Stephen Hiscock started for Rollins and
went three innings giving up seven runs off seven hits. Chad
Giannuzzi, Matt White and Taylor
Smith also made appearances for the Tars.
The Argos' John Church (1-0) captured the victory after pitching
4.2 relief innings surrendering two runs from three hits.
In the second game of the doubleheader the teams made adjustment to
strongly contrast the 30-hit performance in game one.
Junior transfer Tim Griffin allowed five hits, two runs and two
walks for Rollins as the starter. He finished with eight
strikeouts in six innings of action.
Billy Whitaker (0-1) earned the loss for the Argos when he was
charged with allowing the game-winning run to score in the
seventh.
Trailing 2-0 after two innings, the Tars mounted a slow come back
scoring their first run in the fourth inning when Luker battled for
a one-out walk, which preceded a Charlie
Bailes double to left field to cut the deficit in half.
Down 2-1, Rollins scored in the next inning after Band began the
bottom of the fifth when he connected on the first pitch. After
loading the bases, Avanzino drew an RBI walk to score Band to tie
the game at two.
After both teams were blanked in the sixth, Rollins sealed the
victory in the bottom of the seventh when More led off the inning
with a singled to right field. Ferguson did his part on the
ensuing at bat with a sacrifice bunt to the pitcher. The Argos
opted to intentionally walk Avanzino, but designated hitter Bryan
Bennett slammed a single to right field to load the bases.
Luker followed with a fielder's choice in an attempt at a double
play by the Argos, but West Florida would be unsuccessful, which
allowed the game-winning run, More, to score.
Pitchers Steven Gropler and Robbie
Pagano (1-0) came in for relief in the seventh inning for the
Tars and did not surrender a run in their effort. Pagano was
awarded the victory as he entered the game with the bases loaded
and struck out the Argos' Lee Huggins
The Tars and Argos will conclude their three-game series, Monday,
Feb. 2 at 2 p.m.
