Tars Take Two From Sailfish

WINTER PARK, Fla. (April 22, 2023) - Rollins got back on track with a doubleheader sweep of the Palm Beach Atlantic Sailfish on Saturday afternoon. The pair of victories moves Rollins to 28-12 on the year with a 17-4 record in the SSC.

Game One
Rollins 5
Palm Beach Atlantic 3

The Tars were the first on the board, striking for one in the bottom of the first. After Joey Rubin led off with a walk, Adams Torres drove him in with a double down the left field line. 

After a quiet second and third, Palm Beach Atlantic made a move in the fourth. Matty Warren led off with a double, followed by an infield single from Ben Green and a walk to Matt Faranda to load the bases. An RBI groundout would tie things up at one each, but starter Casey Kieran escaped further damage with a strikeout and a flyout. 

The Sailfish took a lead in the top of the fifth. With one out and runners on first and second, a groundball was hit to second, looking like a double play might get the Tars out of the inning. However, the throw from second to short was dropped, allowing all the runners to move up safely. A bases loaded walk and a sac fly gave two unearned runs to the Sailfish, moving them ahead 3-1. 

Similar to Friday night, Rollins struggled offensively. After picking up two hits in the first, they didn't add another knock until a Torres double with one out in the sixth. The Tars took advantage, as the next hitter, Jeslyn Whitehead, launched a double off the center field wall, trading places with Torres. Ryan Coleman followed suit, striking his double down the right field line to score Whitehead and tie the game. A walk to Cameron Meehan and a single from Jack Herring reloaded the bases. After a strikeout, Spencer Sarringar came through with a single to left that plated two, giving Rollins a 5-3 lead. 

Neither team scored for the rest of the game, thanks in part to Rollins relievers Ryan Murphy, who threw a scoreless seventh, and Tate Stone-Frisina, who picked up his fourth save of the year with six outs in the eighth and ninth. 

Game Two
Rollins 10
Palm Beach Atlantic 1

Rollins put a crooked  number on the board in the second inning, rallying with two outs. A pair of walks had two men on for nine-hole hitter Drew Howard. On an 0-1 count, the infielder lifted a ball over the right field wall for his first home run of the season, driving in three. Joey Rubin followed with a walk. He then stole second base and was brought in on the next pitch on a Torres single to left to make it 4-0. 

The Sailfish got one back with a solo home run in the top of the third. 

As Ryan Furey kept the Sailfish offense at bay, Rollins padded their lead in the fifth. With two outs, Meehan blasted a home run over the center field fence to make it 5-1. The Tars would load the bases in the inning thanks to two hits and a walk, but left the runners stranded. 

Mason Wilson added to the Tars' lead in the seventh, driving in Ryan Coleman and Meehan with a base hit to right. After moving to third on a wild pitch and throwing error, Stephen Dans brought him home with a knock to left. Two more runs would come across on RBI knocks from Torres and Whitehead ot make the score 10-1. 

Furey earned the win with an outstanding effort. He went eight innings, allowing just two hits, one run, and four strikeouts. Four Tars had multiple hits in game two, led by Torres with three. 

Next up for the Tars is a huge series in Lakeland as they take on the Florida Southern Mocs next weekend.