WINTER PARK, Fla. (February 12, 2017) - The
series finale against the University of West Florida was a wild
one, as the Tars lose 20-15. The Sunday afternoon affair was a back
and forth battle that treated fans to a combined 38 hits between
the two teams. The difference in the game was a total 6 unearned
runs that came off of six Tars errors.
Leading the way for the Tars at the plate, Christopher
Corbett went 3 for 6, hit a moonshot in the fifth inning for
his second HR of the season and two RBI. Brian
Brooker also went yard this afternoon, on his way to a three
hit, four RBI day.
Caleb
Jakes started on the mound for Rollins, throwing 4.0 innings,
giving up seven runs, four earned, and striking out five batters.
After Jakes was removed from the game, seven other Tars pitchers
were used, Joey
Vecchione was the only one that was able to settle in, going
2.1 innings. The grad student gave up four runs, three earned, and
sat down four on strikes.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
The Argos jumped out to an early lead, scoring twice in the top
of the first inning thanks to a handful of seeing eye singles that
made it through the infield. Rollins answered with a run of their
own in the bottom of the first, and continued to score two more
runs in the second inning thanks to Brian
Brooker's first home run of the season.
The Tars started to pour it on in the third inning, ending the
frame with eight runs. Peter
Nicoletto led off the inning with a double, setting the table
for the entire inning. Brian
Brooker replaced Nicoletto at second, with a double of his own
and later scored thanks to a bases loaded walk from Grant
Ashline. Rollins continued to string together hits, earning
eight runs and batting around in the inning.
Despite the 11-2 deficit, West Florida was determined to make a
comeback. In their half of the fifth inning, the Argonauts tallied
five hits and took advantage of two Rollins errors in the field to
score 6 runs of their own.
Christopher
Corbett answered West Florida's six-run fifth inning by taking
matters into his own hands by smashing a two-run HR, his second of
the season. Unfortunately, this was not enough for the Tars.
UWF continued to rally, have big innings and take advantage of
Rollins fielding errors. In the top of the eighth inning, West
Florida finally took the lead from the Tars when Chase Keifer
singled through the right side of the infield with runners on the
corners. West Florida continued to move station to station, scoring
five times in the top of the eighth, sealing the win for the
Argonauts.
STANDOUT PERFORMERS:
· Brian
Brooker (RC): 3-4, 2B, HR, 4 RBI
· Christopher
Corbett (RC): 3-6, HR, 4 RBI
· Justin Ambrosino (UWF): 5-7, 2B, 4 RBI
· Trevor Payne (UWF): 2-7, 4 RBI
· Jarrod Petree (UWF): W, 2.0 IP, 1 ER
NOTES:
· With his performance today, Brian
Brooker was a triple away from the cycle. He would have been
the second Tar to hit for the cycle in two years, after Peter
Nicoletto hit for the cycle in 2016.
· Rollins falls to 10-16 all-time vs. West
Florida
· Six errors for the Tars is the most since 2013,
when Rollins defeated Assumption College 10-8
NEXT:
Next weekend, Rollins hosts Bentley on Friday, Southern
Connecticut State on Saturday and Bentley once more to end the
weekend on Sunday. First pitch Friday, Feb. 17 is set for 5:00 p.m.
For the latest news, updates, and information on the Rollins
baseball team, fans can visit RollinsSports.com. Fans can also
stay up-to-date on the latest #TARnation news by following Rollins
Sports on Facebook, Twitter,
and Instagram.
