WINTER PARK, Fla. (February 25, 2024) - On a picturesque day in Winter Park, Rollins dropped the third game of their first conference series to Embry-Riddle, 5-2. The Tars now stand at 6-6 on the season, 1-2 in the SSC. Embry-Riddle improves to 7-4, 2-1 SSC.
The Eagles threatened in the top of the first inning, but starter
Ryan Furey induced a 5-3 double play to escape the early jam. Embry-Riddle would put another runner on in the second, but this time a lineout to Furey turned into two outs as well for the Tars' second double play of the game.
Rollins was able to get on the board in the third.
Jose Perez led off with a single and moved to second on a groundout. After a
Jeslyn Whitehead single advanced him to third,
Mason Wilson brought Perez in with a ground ball up the middle.
The Eagles got the run back in the fourth by starting the inning with a single, double, and single. A wild pitch would then put two runners in scoring position, but Furey was able to buckle down and induce a groundout, popout, and strikeout to quell the threat.
They would threaten again in the fifth when Matt Coker ripped a triple to right-center with two outs. That prompted pitching coach
Patrick Szczerba to make a call to the bullpen.
Ryan Murphy came in and promptly forced a groundout to keep the runner stranded and the game tied.
In the top of the sixth, Camden Traficante was hit by a pitch. He moved to second on a sac bunt, and with two outs, came around to score on a base hit from Zach Coldsnow to make it 2-1 Eagles.
Rollins was gifted an opportunity in the bottom of the sixth when
Mason Wilson led off by being hit with a pitch. He advanced all the way to third on two wild pitches and only one out on the board. Unfortunately, the next two Tars popped out and grounded out to end the inning.
The top of the seventh saw a wild couple of runs for the Eagles. With one out and a man on first, a groundball to third seemed like an inning-ending double play. However, an errant throw allowed the hitter to reach safely. The next hitter poked a single to center to score the runner, but the ball went under Angelo Ramiez's glove, allowing Chase Bruno to touch all four bases for a little-league home run.
Embry-Riddle added a fifth run on a groundball in the eighth. The Tars showed some fight in their half, with Wilson reaching on a single and Sparber driving him in with a double off the top of the wall, mere inches from a home run.
Rollins made it a game in their final at bat, loading the bases with one out thanks to a pair of Eagle errors. Wilson delivered a sac fly to deep right to bring in one and make the final of 5-3.
Next up for the Tars is a road series at Nova Southeastern starting on Friday, March 1. First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 pm from Fort Lauderdale.
