WINTER PARK, Fla. –
Senior right fielder Bryan Bennett's first inning two-run homer
led the Rollins Tars baseball team to a 4-1 upset victory over
16th-ranked Ohio State, Monday afternoon at Alfond Stadium in front
of 437 spectators.
The Longwood, Fla., native, Bennett, blasted the 0-1 pitch to left
center scoring Jesse More, who reached on an infield single.
More recorded his first home run of the season later on in the
third inning to continue the Tars offensive surge.
Bennett finished the game going 3-for-4 with three RBIs and a
double, increasing his total to 15 on the season, a team-high. He
is now batting .370 with 22 RBIs.
More followed Bennett with a 2-for-4 performance and a game-best
two runs scored.
The Tars (18-12) outhit the Buckeyes (17-3), 10-5 in the contest as
both teams left seven runners on base.
Right handed Marc Hewett (3-1) pitched six innings before
leaving the game due to injury, but still earned the victory. The
Framingham, Mass., native gave up just five hits and one run to
lower his season ERA to 3.06.
Robbie Pagano (S:1) closed out the game pitching
three shutout innings without surrendering a hit and striking out
two to pick up the save, the seventh of his career.
OSU's Andrew Armstrong (1-1) pitched the complete-game allowing
four runs on 10 hits and a walk, while striking out five.
Rollins opened the game with Bennett's two-run shot. In the third,
More's solo blast down the left field line increased the Tars' lead
to 3-0.
Trailing 3-0, the Buckeyes denied the shutout with a run in the
fourth. After a leadoff strikeout, Michael Stephens roped a
double to left center. A fly out to left ensued, before Dan
Burkhart's RBI-single through the infield, scoring Stephens. Cory
Rupert doubled in the following at bat, but Burkhart was held at
third and the Buckeyes would settle for only one run in the inning
after Ryan Dew ended the frame on a ground out.
The Tars added an insurance run in the fifth, courtesy of Bennett.
Leadoff hitter Taylor Ferguson singled to begin the frame and
advanced to second on the More ground out. Bennett singled down
the left field line to score Ferguson, capping the Tars offensive
production.
Rollins has now defeated four NCAA Division I programs during the
2009 campaign with its victory over Ohio State. The Tars earned
wins over Maine, Penn and Georgetown during the 61st Annual Rollins
College Baseball Week.
The Tars continues its non-conference schedule against Flagler,
Friday, March 27 at 6:00 p.m. at Alfond Stadium.
