WINTER PARK, Fla. (March 8, 2024) - Baseball picked up their fourth straight victory at home on Friday, defeating the Northwood Timberwoves (3-9) by a score fo 6-3. The win moves Rollins to 10-7 on the year.
After
Edward Berry worked a quick top of the first, the Tar offense went to work.
Rob Buckley and
Mason Wilson each ripped line drive singles, and were promptly brought home when
Chris Sparber went big fly over the left field wall to make it 3-0. The home run was his first since the first weekend of the season.
Berry added two strikeouts in the second and one in the third, but ran into a spot of trouble in th fourth. He gave up a single with one out, and then walked a batter with two outs. The next batter, Blake Salamon, then connected for a three-run shot to right, tying the game.
Unphased, the offense had their pitcher's back in the bottom half. Sparber led off with a walk, and then trotted home when
Jack Herring delivered an absolute moonshot to deep left-center for a two-run dinger.
Berry, finding new life, struck out the side in the top of the fifth. We would then go three up, three down in the sixth to wrap up his day. He received an extra insurance run in the bottom when
Matthew Farner singled home Sparber, who had reached on a base hit of his own.
Nate Thomas fired two scoreless in the seventh and eighth, and then
Ryan Murphy picked up the save with a perfect ninth.
Berry's final line scored read six innings, two hits, three runs, two walks, and eight strikeouts en route to his first win of the season. The save was Murphy's second.
Sparber reached base three times with his home run, single, and walk. He scored three times, drove in three, and also stole a base. Herring also reached three times with a home run and two walks.
It'll be a quick turnaround for the Tars as they face #22 Grand Valley State on Saturday. First pitch from Alfond Stadium is scheduled for 3:00 pm.
