PENSACOLA, Fla. -
A 10-run seventh inning culminated by a Joey
Manning three-run home run completed the Rollins baseball
team's comeback as the Tars cruised past the West Florida
Argonauts, 14-4 in eight innings, Saturday afternoon at Jim Spooner
Field.
Due to a problem with the lights, the game was shortened and the
second game of the doubleheader was cancelled. The teams will
complete the three-game series, Sunday, Feb. 7 at noon.
Senior lefthander Danny Clark (1-0) earned the
win for the Tars pitching 4.1 shutout innings and allowed just
three hits. Fellow senior Stephen Hiscock started for
Rollins (1-0), but earned the no decision after tossing 3.2 innings
and surrendering four runs.
For the Argos (3-1), Daniel Vargas-Vila was the starter and went
into the fifth, but was pulled after loading the bases. Shane
Waller pitched the next 1.2 innings and allowed three runs, two
earned, before losing pitcher Phillip Kish (0-1) allowed one hit
and two runs without recording an out. TY Sullivan and Zach North
finished out the game for West Florida, respectively.
Offensively, Taylor Ferguson led the way
with a 3-for-6 performance and three RBIs. The Charlton, Mass.,
native also tallied three runs scored and a double. Third baseman
Ryan Luker also had a
stellar offensive performance with a 3-for-4 effort and two
doubles.
Leftfielder Tony
Brunetti rounded out the hitters with three hits as the
Canfield, Ohio native tacked on two RBIs and a walk.
The Tars fell behind early in the game when the Argos got on the
scoreboard in the first with two runs. West Florida loaded the
bases on two walks and a Brandon Brewer double. A wild pitch and a
Greg Pron RBI-walk gave the Argos the 2-0 advantage.
Solo home runs in the third and fourth innings increased the West
Florid lead before Rollins mounted its comeback.
In the fifth, the Tars ended the shutout when Justin
Yount led off the inning with an infield single. After a Ben
Hewett walk, Ferguson flied out to center to allow the runners
to advance. Yount scored on a wild pitch to cut the deficit to
three.
Trailing 4-1, Rollins cut the Argo's lead in half when a Yount
double down the left field line scored Luker, who also reached on a
double.
It wasn't until the seventh inning, which saw seven hits and 10
runs, as the Tars capitalized on three Argo errors. After tying
the game at four, Manning recorded his first hit of the season when
he blasted a three run homer to left field. The Tars went on to
tack three more runs in the inning.
Rollins secured the win in the eighth when Ferguson and Scott
Chase recorded RBI singles.
The Tars return to the diamond, Sunday Feb. 7 for a doubleheader
beginning at noon.
