WINTER PARK, Fla. -
The Rollins College baseball team captured five runs in the
first inning to overpower the Bentley University Falcons, 8-2 in
non-conference action, Saturday afternoon at Alfond Stadium.
The Tars (4-3) collected 10 hits in the game, which doubled up
Bentley's (0-1) five. Third baseman Ryan
Luker and center fielder Taylor
Ferguson registered two hits and scored two runs apiece to pace
Rollins, while freshman second baseman Josh
Band smashed his first home run of his career in a two-RBI
performance.
For the Falcons, the five hits were scattered between five
different batters. Third baseman Ross Curley had the best effort
going 1-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI.
Rollins transfer Stephen Hiscock (2-0) picked up the win when he
went six innings and surrendered two runs, both unearned, on three
hits. Freshman Taylor Smith entered the game in the seventh and
allowed one hit in his 1.2 innings, while Matt
White and Robbie Pagano closed out the game for
Rollins.
Brentley's Brett Fistes (0-1) was credited with the loss allowing
seven hits, five in the first inning, and six runs in three innings
of action.
The Tars exploded in the first as the first six batters reached
base safely. Shortstop Justin Yount led off the inning with a
single to the opposing shortstop. Center fielder Jesse
More followed with a single to shallow center to advance
Yount. After a Bryan Bennett walk, Luker singled with the bases
loaded scoring the first run of the game.
With the bases still loaded, first baseman John
Avanzino struck out, which preceded a Scott
Chase two-RBI single, a chopper that snuck through the left
side of the infield. Catcher Ben
Hewett reached base on a fielder's choice to again load the
bases, and Band earned an RBI on a walk to culminate the scoring
effort.
Leading 5-0, the Tars added to its lead with a run in the third
inning. Luker reached on an error by the Falcon's shortstop and
stole second to place himself in scoring position. Hewett
capitalized on the opportunity with a single up the middle to drive
in Luker from second.
Bentley cut into the lead in the fifth inning when it scored two
runs and tallied a pair of hits on two Tars' errors. Curley's
double down the left line highlighted the scoring attack for the
Falcons.
Rollins answered in the bottom of the sixth when Band roped a homer
to right field to lead off the inning. Two outs later, Ferguson
drew a walk to extend the inning. Bennett reached on another
Falcons' error to place a runner in scoring position. Luker again
singled and would advance to second on a throwing error, while
Ferguson scored from second to cap the Tars' scoring effort.
The Falcons and Tars will continue their three-game series, Sunday,
Feb. 15 at 3 p.m. at Alfond Stadium.
