WINTER PARK, Fla. –
Two home runs by junior third baseman Ryan
Luker led the Rollins College baseball team to a 15-6 victory
in game one of Saturday night's doubleheader, but the Palm Beach
Atlantic Sailfish earned its revenge in the nightcap, 9-7 at Alfond
Stadium.
The Tars (3-2) claimed the series, 2-1 after a Friday night
victory, but the Sailfish (1-4) denied Rollins' attempt at a series
sweep to capture its first victory of the season.
In game one, Luker went 4-for-4 with six RBIs and scored four runs
as he recorded his second and third home runs of the season.
Catcher Ben Hewett, outfielder Jesse
More, infielders Josh Band and John
Avanzino added three hits apiece as Rollins out-hit the
Sailfish, 22-5.
Rollins came out swinging in the second inning and never looked
back. With one out, Luker started the rally with a single through
the left side. Hewett followed with his second double of the
season to place runners in scoring position. Outfielder Charlie
Bailes responded with a single to left, scoring Luker and
advancing Hewett to third. With Runners on the corners, freshman
Josh Band singled registering the RBI, his sixth
of the season.
With a 3-1 cushion, the Tars added three more runs in the third
when Luker blasted a home run over the left field wall scoring
Avanzino and Bryan Bennett, who got on base with singles.
Leading by five, Rollins increased its lead to double digits with
five more runs in the fourth. After a More single and a Taylor
Ferguson walk, Avazino smashed a base-clearing trip toward
right center. Two more singles and walk solidified the Tars 11-1
advantage.
The Tars added a pair of runs in the fifth and seventh to secure
the win. Luker was responsible for three of the four RBIs earned
in the two innings as his RBI single preceded his seventh inning
two-run home run.
In the first contest, Tim Griffin pitched five innings allowing
one unearned run with five strike outs to capture his first victory
of the season. Logan Thomas went 3.1 innings for the Sailfish and
gave up 10 runs on 14 hits.
The Sailfish countered in the second game as they quickly jumped
out to a 5-0 lead. PBA's Vasillios Mila led off the game with a
solo shot to left field. In the second inning, the Sailfish tacked
on three more runs as Stephen Fowler doubled down the left field
line placing runners on second and third. An RBI ground out
preceded a Mila walk putting runners on the corners. A passed ball
and a Jeff Moyer double scored the other two runs of the
inning.
The Tars cut into the deficit with a run in the third inning
without recording a hit. With one out, Band drew a walk, which was
followed by a Yount sacrifice bunt that was misguided by the
pitcher moving the runners to second and third. More grounded out
on the ensuing at bat to give the Tars its first run of the
game.
Rollins took out a big chunk of the lead in the fifth inning with
three runs to cut the deficit to 6-4, but the Sailfish responded in
the top half of the sixth with three runs of their own to increase
the lead back to five.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Tars capitalized on two errors by
the Sailfish to add three more runs, but they would only trim the
lead to 9-7 before being held scoreless in the final inning.
Rollins' Marc Hewett earned the loss allowing five runs on
seven hits in three innings of action. Taylor McBath went five
innings surrendering six runs, five earned to claim the victory,
while Billy Schmidt earned the save in one inning of relief.
The Tars return to the field, Tuesday, Feb. 10 at 6 p.m. for a
non-conference showdown against Tampa.
