TAMPA , Fla. (May 18, 2023) - Any concerns about the Rollins offense following their three-game sweep at Embry-Riddle were laid to rest quickly on Thursday in the opening game of the NCAA South Regional in Tampa. The #4 seed Tars defeated the #5 Valdosta State Blazers 18-7 to advance to the winner's bracket. Rollins now stands at 35-16 on the year.
After
Edward Berry sat down the Blazers in order in the top of the first, Rollins teed off on the Blazers in their first go round.
Joey Rubin led things off with a monster solo home run to dead center. He was followed by an
Adams Torres double, a
Jeslyn Whitehead single, a
Ryan Coleman single, a
Cameron Meehan single, and a
Mason Wilson double before the first out was recorded. By the end of the madness, Rollins sent 13 batters to the plate, recorded ten hits and scored eight runs.
Valdosta State did not give up, answering back with a solo home run in the second and four runs (all with two outs) in the third to make it 8-5.
In the bottom of the fourth, Wilson struck again, this time launching a missile to right-center that scored himself and Meehan to make it 10-5. A Rubin RBI base hit in the fifth then made it 11-5.
Ryan Murphy, who entered the game in relief of Berry in the fourth, did not allow a run in three innings of work. Rollins then furthered their lead in the sixth with an RBI single from Wilson, an RBI double from
Jimmy Thies, and a two-run blast from
Spencer Sarringar to make it 15-5.
Valdosta got two back in the seventh, but Whitehead answered back with a solo home run in the bottom half. After a scoreless frame from
Jack Haynes in the eighth, the Tars added their final two runs on RBI knocks from Rubin and Torres to make the final of 18-7.
Every Rollins starter had at least one hit, and a run scored or driven in. Six players had multiple hits, including four each from Rubin and Whitehead. Wilson, playing in just his twelfth game this season, was 3-5 with three runs and five RBI. Sarringar scored four times from the nine-hole. Murphy took the win on the mound with three scoreless innings, allowing just one hit.
Rollins will now face #1 Tampa on Friday after the Spartans torched the #8 Spring Hill Badgers, 17-2. First pitch is scheduled for 5:00 PM.
