CARY, N.C. (June 10, 2023) – A furious rally fell one run short as the Rollins Tars concluded their 2023 season at the USA National Team Complex, falling to #1 Angelo State 6-5 on Saturday afternoon. The Tars finish the year 42-19.
Joey Rubin led off the game with a solid rip to left, but was put out on a double play in the next at bat. In the bottom half, Angelo State followed suit with a leadoff single, and a double play as well to get Tars' starter
Edward Berry out of trouble early.
The second inning was a quick one as the Tars went 1-2-3 on nine pitches, while the Rams countered with three outs on five pitches on their end.
After Rollins went down quietly in the top of the third, Angelo State was able to get on the board. With two outs and two runners on, Jacob Guerrero ripped a single up the middle to bring home Justin Harris. Berry was able to bounce bac nicely, stranding a pair with a swinging strikeout of Tripp Clark to close out the inning.
Rollins was able to break through against starter Aaron Munson in the fourth.
Adams Torres singled with one out, and advanced to second on a grounder.
Ryan Coleman, who had four hits on Friday, stayed hot with a missile double off the first baseman's glove to drive in Torres. Next up was
Cameron Meehan who launched a ball to the centerfield warning track, but was put out on a tremendous leaping grab by the Rams' Thomas Cain.
Berry once again worked himself out of trouble in the bottom of the fourth. A leadoff single and a steal put Austin Beck in scoring position with none out. A looking strikeout, a popout, and another steal then put Beck on third with two gone. Kamden Kelton was hit by a pitch on a 2-2 count, but the umpire ruled he leaned into it, leading to strike three and the end of the inning.
A leadoff walk to
Mason Wilson in the fifth proved uneventful as a flyout and a double play made the fifth a quick one for the Tars offense. The Rams then struck for a two-out rally. Cain singled to center, and then Guerrero turned on a 2-1 fastball and sent it over the left field wall to put Angelo State up 3-1.
Spencer Sarringar led off the sixth with a single, and moved to second on a fantastic read of a pitch in the dirt. On the next pitch,
Adams Torres ripped a line drive into center to plate the big fella, halving the lead. The hit also chased Munson from the game. On the first pitch from reliever Austin Teel,
Jeslyn Whitehead laid down a perfect bunt to third for a single, putting two on. Unfortunately, Teel retired the next two Tars on strikes to leave the runners stranded. Berry had a solid sixth, picking up two strikeouts and a popout to keep the Tars down just one.
Rollins was ripping the baseball in the seventh, as both Wilson and Thies hit balls to the warning track. Cain again made an impressive leaping grab to rob Thies of extra bases.
Parker Smith worked a two-out walk, but would not come around to score. Things got out of hand in the bottom when the Rams' first three hitters singled, leading to the removal of Berry from the game.
Tate Stone-Frisina came on in relief, and induced a lineout double play, but Tripp Clark ripped a double to dead center that scored two to extend the Angelo State lead to 5-2.
The Tars had a fantastic opportunity to put a dent in the score in the eighth after Torres singled for the third time, followed by a Whitehead walk. However, the next two hitters popped out and struck out to end the threat. Angelo State then added a sixth run on a two-out single from Justin Harris to make it 6-2.
Per the script of the season, Rollins refused to go down without a fight. With one out, Thies singled, followed by a knock from
Parker Smith to put two on. A walk to Sarringar loaded the bases, but then Rubin struck out. Torres and Whitehead then both walked in runs to make it 6-4. Next up was
Ryan Coleman, who chopped a ball to the right side to drive in another run and keep the bases loaded. Unfortunately, Meehan went down on strikes to end the game at 6-5.
Torres led the offense with a 3-4 day at the plate that included one run and two RBI. Coleman continued his hot streak, wrapping up his career with a 2-5 effort with a double and two driven in. Sarringar went 1-3 with two runs scored, and recorded a hit in every playoff game this season.
After the game, Sarringar, Whitehead, and Coleman were named to the All-Tournament team. Coleman earned the honor during the team's run to Cary last season as well.
It was a record setting year for Tars baseball, as they set new benchmarks as a team, as individuals for a season, and as individuals for a career.
Team Records:
- 687 hits (previous 655 in 2010)
- 127 doubles (tie with 1998)
- 84 home runs (tie with 1998)
- 449 RBI (previous 434 in 1994)
They now also rank second in wins (48 in 2004), and runs 481 (record is 484 in 1994)
The runner-up finish is the farthest the team has ever gone at the Division II level
Individual Season Records:
Other notable finishes include 70 runs from
Joey Rubin, 2
nd all-time … 92 hits from
Adams Torres, 3
rd all-time … 139 total bases from
Ryan Coleman, 4
th all-time
Individual Career Marks:
