WINTER PARK, Fla. (February 9, 2024) - Rollins bounced back in a big way on Friday, coming back for a 4-3 win over #8 Colorado Mesa. The win moves the Tars to 3-2 on the year, while the loss was the Maverick's first of the season, now sitting at 2-1. All three Rollins wins this season are against ranked teams.
After taking down the Tars in game one, the Mavericks looked primed to do it again when leadoff man David Schoenfeld took
Nick Berger deep on the fifth pitch of the game for a quick 1-0 lead.
Rollins threatened in the third with two men on and
Jeslyn Whitehead up to bat. The first baseman looked to have singled through the right side, but a slick play from Jonathon Gonzalez stopped the ball from going into the outfield. He popped up and was able to deliver a strike to home plate, gunning down
Jack Herring.
The Tars finally broke through in the fourth. With one out,
Chris Sparber drew a walk. He was promptly brought in by
Nathan Tinder, who hammered a ball over the right field wall for his first career home run, giving Rollins a 2-1 lead.
Berger was cruising through the Mavericks lineup after his hiccup in the first inning. In the bottom of the sixth, he received another shot of support from the offense.
Mason Wilson led off with a single, and moved to third when Sparber smoked a ball off the left field wall for a double. That set the table for Tinder once more. The sophomore ripped a single up the middle to plate both runners, making it 4-1.
Colorado Mesa chipped away at the lead, scoring a run in the seventh on a groundout. They put two men on in the eighth, but Whitehead, who had moved to the mound from first base, was able to escape the jam unscathed.
The Tars called on Tinder to move from centerfield and close out the game. A walk and a pair of singles scored a run, and put the tying run on third. Tinder was able to dig deep and blow away Schoenfeld with a fastball to end the game.
Tinder drove in all four runs while earning the save. Wilson and Sparber joined him with two hits as well. Berger turned in a quality start with six innings, six hits, one run and five strikeouts in a no-decision.
The rubber match of this marquee series will take place Saturday, February 10 in Winter Park. First pitch is scheduled for noon.
