ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. (February 26, 2022) – A first-inning three-run home run from
Nick Santucci set the tone for a 5-1 victory for the 22nd-ranked Rollins baseball team on Saturday as the Tars completed a two-game road sweep at Flagler. The win, which is the eighth in a row for Rollins, puts the Tars at 9-2 on the season, while the Saints fall to 5-8.
Santucci finished the day 3-for-4 a double, a home run, a stolen base, two runs scored, and three RBIs.
Jeslyn Whitehead was 2-for-4 with two runs scored, while
Adams Torres was 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored.
Justin Alintoff (3-0) went seven innings, giving up just the one run on five hits and a walk while striking out four.
Alfredo Caraballo and
Steven Swift combined to allow just one baserunner in two hitless innings of relief.
Luke Welborn went 2-for-4 a double and an RBI for Flagler, while Ashton Thomas 1-for-4 with a run scored. Seth Wysocki (1-2) took the loss, giving up all five runs on nine hits in six innings of work, walking one and striking out a pair.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
First Inning
- The Tars struck for three in the first, with all of the hits coming after two were out.
- Torres singled through the left side and Jeslyn Whitehead followed with a single to put two on with two out.
- Santucci stepped up and drilled a three-run shot over the right field fence to give the Tars an early three-run lead.
- Flagler quickly got one back on a two-out RBI double from Welborn in the bottom of the inning, but Alintoff got the next batter on one pitch to end the threat with Rollins still in front, 3-1.
Sixth Inning
- Jeslyn Whitehead led off the sixth with a single and quickly moved to third when Santucci doubled on the first pitch of his at-bat.
- Parker Smith then singled, scoring Whitehead to make it 4-1, and advancing Santucci to third.
- Cameron Meehan hit a sacrifice fly to right-center that allowed Santucci to score, giving Rollins a commanding 5-1 lead.
Seventh Inning
- The Tars nearly added another insurance run in the sixth.
- Chase Achuff doubled with one out, and Torres followed that with a single through the left side.
- Achuff attempted to score on Torres' single, but was cut down at the plate.
Ninth Inning
- Flagler coaxed a two-out walk from Swift in the bottom of the ninth, but Swift struck out the very next batter for the 27th out, securing the series sweep.
UP NEXT:
The Tars return home to open up Baseball Week 2022 on Monday, Feb. 28. Rollins will be facing Findlay at 2 p.m. that day in their first game of the weeklong event. Findlay will face off against Gannon at 11 a.m. that morning to officially kick off Baseball Week 2022.
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