WINTER PARK, Fla. –
The Rollins College Tars dropped a 9-2 decision to the
second-ranked University of Tampa Spartans, Tuesday evening at
Alfond Stadium.
Junior second baseman Ryan Luker led the Tars (3-3) with two RBIs
to increase his season total to a team-high 13. Designated hitter
Bryan Bennett went 3-for-4 performance with a
double and a run scored to guide the squad in batting.
Right fielder Steven Broschofsky homered twice to record four RBIs
to pace the Spartans (5-0). Third baseman Casey Albanese notched a
one-hit two-RBI appearance in his only at bat in the game.
Junior Steven Gropler earned his first loss of the
season when he went 2.2 innings and surrendered four runs on five
hits. Danny Clark went in for relief in the third and
pitched 4.1 innings allowing two hits and four runs, one
earned.
For Tampa, John Wiedenbauer picked up the victory in 5.0 innings of
work and gave up five hits and two runs in the effort. AJ Pinera
and Jimmy Moser closed the game out for the Spartans.
Tampa threatened to score in the first inning when it loaded the
bases with one out. Gropler forced Broschofsky to hit a sharp
ground ball to the Tars' third baseman Michael
Garczynski, who fielded it cleanly and got the force out at
third, before firing it to first for the double play and to end the
threat.
The Spartans finally got on the board in the third inning with four
runs on Broschofsky's first home run of the night, a three run shot
over the left field wall. Designated hitter Michael Schwartz
double down the left field line scoring catcher Tyler Cox, who
reached on an infield single, to score the first run of the
game.
Trailing 4-0, the Tars cut the deficit in half with a two out rally
in the bottom of the fourth. Transfer first baseman John
Avanzino began the rally with a single up the middle, which
preceded Bennett's double down the left field line. Luker took
advantage with a pair of runners in scoring position and placed a
single to shallow right center field.
Two innings later, the Spartans picked up three more runs, two from
Broschofsky's second home run. Cox added the third run when he hit
an RBI single with two outs to score Jared Simon, who reached on a
hit-by-pitch and advanced to third on a failed pickoff attempt.
Tampa added two more runs in the eighth inning when it capitalized
on a Tars' error by registering two hits.
The Tars return to the diamond for a three-game series against
Bentley. Game one of the series is slated for Feb. 14 at 3
p.m.
