WINTER PARK, Fla. (March 30, 2012) - The
Rollins baseball team was edged 9-7 by the No. 8 Tampa Spartans
Friday evening at Alfond Stadium. The Tars fall to 18-9 on the
season and 1-3 in the SSC, while Tampa improves to 24-5 and 6-4 in
the conference.
Rollins registered a season-high 17 hits, outhitting their
opponent by four (13) hits and was the 13th time the
Tars hit in double-figures. All nine of the Tars starting lineup
notched at least one hit as Sean
Reilly and Brandon
Curson each led the offense with three hits.
The Tars took a quick 6-2 lead in the bottom of the third
scoring four runs as they went through the entire batting order.
Rollins notched back-to-back hits before Brian
Lattanzi reached on a throwing error by the Spartans pitcher.
The Tars then rattled off another three hits to drive in the final
three runs of the frame.
Tampa slowly began to chip away at the Tars lead as they plated
a run in the fourth on a Jake Schrader solo shot over the right
field wall. The eighth-ranked Spartans then came within two of
Rollins, 7-5, in the top of the fifth with a pair of runs.
Rollins answered back in the home half of the fifth scoring a
lone run on an Anthony
Figliolia home run, his first of the season.
UT kept the Tars scoreless in the final four innings of play as
the Spartans bullpen combined for four of the Tars' 17 hits and did
not allow a run. Justin Leith earned the win for Tampa in 2.0
innings of work allowing one hit and one walk. Preston Packrall
picked up his fifth save of the season in 2.0 innings of work as
well.
As Tampa trailed by one run heading into the top of the eighth,
the Spartans put up a four-spot to take their first lead of the
game and would end the victors in game one of the series.
Right-hander Mike
Howard (3-2) was saddled with the loss as he gave up the tying
and go-ahead runs in the eighth. Howard saw 1.0 inning of action
and scattered four hits and gave up three runs while striking out
two.
Rollins will wrap up the weekend conference series with Tampa on
Saturday, March 31 with a doubleheader slated to begin at 3 p.m.
Fans can catch all the action live on the Tars Sports Network at
RollinsSports.com.
