WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (March 19, 2022) – The 14th-ranked Rollins baseball team used a pair of late-inning comebacks to sweep a doubleheader at Palm Beach Atlantic on Saturday, finishing off a three-game series sweep of the Sailfish. The Tars scored four times in the 10th inning to claim game one, 11-7, before scoring the final eight runs to take game two, 12-9. The victories push the Tars to 21-5 overall and 7-2 in conference play, while PBA falls to 13-13, 4-8 in SSC games.
Game 1 – Rollins 11, PBA 7 (10 innings)
Cameron Meehan went 3-for-5 with a walk, two runs scored, and two RBIs, while
Jeslyn Whitehead was 2-for-3 with a walk, a stolen base, a run scored, and a pair of RBIs.
Nick Santucci finished 1-for-5 with a walk and a two-run home run, and
Chase Achuff was 1-for-5 with a walk, a stolen base, a double, an RBI, and three runs scored.
Justin Alintoff started for the Tars, giving up six runs (four earned) on 10 hits in 6.2 innings of work, striking out three and walking none.
Alfredo Caraballo (2-2) got the win in relief, pitching a scoreless eighth with only a walk allowed.
Davis Blair went 4-for-5 with a double and two runs scored for the Sailfish, while Dylan Tosto was 3-for-4 with a walk and a run scored.
Mike Entenza gave up five unearned runs on six hits and three walks in the first 4.2 innings, picking up one strikeout. Ruairi Murphy (1-1) took the loss, surrendering two runs on two hits and three walks in 1.2 innings of relief, striking out a pair.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Third Inning
- Sam Tanous reached on a one-out double and came around to score when Achuff reached on an error two batters later.
- Santucci then launched a two-out, two-run home run to put Rollins up 3-0.
Fourth Inning
- PBA got a run back on a two-out RBI single from Mikey Casaleggio.
Fifth Inning
- Jeslyn Whitehead hit a sacrifice fly to score Achuff with the Tars' fourth run.
- A fielding error allowed Meehan to cross the plate, increasing the lead to 5-1.
- The Sailfish answered with two runs in the bottom half, with Jiovel Lantigua delivering a two-out, two-run double to make it 5-3.
Seventh Inning
- Blair led off the bottom of the seventh with a double and Tosto followed with a single, setting up runners on the corners.
- The Tars were able to turn a 4-6-3 double play without allowing Blair to score, but Matty Warren got the run home with an RBI single.
- Lantigua then reached on an error that allowed Warren to score, tying the game at 5-5.
- Lantigua eventually took third on a wild pitch and then came home on another wild pitch, putting PBA up, 6-5.
Eighth Inning
- The Tars wasted no time responding, scoring twice in the eighth.
- Achuff ripped a double that plated Aidan Healy with the tying run.
- Two batters later, Jeslyn Whitehead hit a sacrifice fly that allowed Rubin to come home, giving the Tars a 7-6 lead.
- Palm Beach Atlantic tied it up in the bottom half of the inning when Blair was able to score on a wild pitch.
Tenth Inning
- After the first three batters reached for the Tars, Santucci hit a fly ball to center field, but it wasn't quite deep enough to allow Drew Howard to score, as he was thrown out at the plate for a double play.
- Jeslyn Whitehead drew a two-out walk to extend the inning, which enabled Meehan to come up with a clutch two-out, two-run single to put Rollins back in front, 9-7.
- Parker Smith followed up with a base hit that scored Jeslyn Whitehead, and Meehan was able to trot home on an error, extending the lead to 11-7.
- While not a save situation, Austin Long came in and struck out the side, allowing a lone one-out single in the inning, to secure the win and clinch the series for the Tars.
Game 2 – Rollins 12, PBA 9
Adams Torres finished 2-for-5 with a triple, a home run, two runs scored, and five RBIs, while Santucci was 1-for-3 with a triple, an RBI, and two runs scored.
Joey Rubin went 3-for-5 with a run scored and
Chase Achuff was 2-for-5 with a double and two runs scored.
Nick Berger started for Rollins, allowing five runs (three earned) on five hits and two walks in three innings, picking up one strikeout.
Ray Zhang (2-0) earned the win with two shutout innings of relief, walking one and striking out three. Achuff took the mound to collect his fourth save of the season, giving up just one hit in a scoreless ninth.
Lantigua went 2-for-4 with a walk, two stolen bases, two RBIs, and a run scored, while Jeff Manto was 2-for-4 with a walk and an RBI.
Nick Adams tossed the first six innings for the Sailfish, giving up four runs on seven hits, walking one and striking out seven. Dan Beebe (2-1) took the loss, allowing eight runs (four earned) on five hits in three innings, walking two and striking out two.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
First Inning
- Rollins got the jump early, with Rubin singling and Achuff doubling to open the game.
- Torres delivered a three-run home run to quickly make it 3-0.
- Meehan reached on a one-out single, moved to second on a walk to Smith and then to third on a single off the bat of Healy.
- With one out, Smith ended up caught in a rundown between second and third, which eventually allowed Meehan to score to put Rollins up 4-0.
Third Inning
- Lantigua got the Sailfish on the board with an RBI groundout and Manto made it 4-2 with a two-out RBI single.
Fourth Inning
- Jeremy Texel reached on a bunt single that scored Casaleggio to cut the deficit to 4-3.
- Blair grounded into a double play that plated a run, tying the game.
- Texel then scored on a passed ball to put PBA ahead, 5-4.
Sixth Inning
- The Sailfish banged out four hits and took advantage of a walk and an error in the sixth to score four times, pulling out to a 9-4 lead.
Seventh Inning
- Rollins was the recipient of two PBA errors, allowing the Tars to plate four runs with only one hit in the seventh.
- Santucci reached on an error and moved to second when Jerod Herron drew a walk.
- Both runners moved up 90 feet on a passed ball when Rubin struck out.
- Achuff then reached on a fielding error that pushed Santucci across, cutting the lead to 9-5.
- Torres delivered his second extra-base hit, a triple to right that scored both Achuff and Herron, making it a 9-7 game.
- A Jeslyn Whitehead groundout allowed Torres to score, cutting the deficit to a run at 9-8.
Eighth Inning
- Sam Tanous led off the inning with a pinch-hit walk and took second on a bunt from Healy.
- Santuccie tripled him home to tie things up at nine.
- Two batters later, Santucci crossed the plate on a wild pitch, putting the Tars back on top, 10-9.
Ninth Inning
- Jeslyn Whitehead reached on a one-out single and Tanous advanced him to second on a two-out bunt single.
- After Healy was hit by a pitch, both Jeslyn Whitehead and Sam Tanous were able to score via a pair of wild pitches, giving Rollins a more comfortable 12-9 lead.
- Achuff shifted from shortstop to the mound in the bottom of the ninth and only allowed a two-out single in a scoreless inning to earn the save and complete the series sweep.
UP NEXT:
The Tars will continue this road trip with a three-game conference series at Saint Leo next weekend. The series kicks off on Friday, March 25 at 6 p.m.
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