Box Score WINTER PARK, Fla. (March 9, 2024) -
After a quiet start in the first, Rollins was able to get on the board in the bottom of the second inning.
Jack Herring led off with a double to left, but the next two batters were put out.
Jimmy Thies was able to rise to the occasion, spraying a ball down the right field line for an RBI double.
The Lakers were quick to respond in the top of the third, using a single, wild pitch, walk, and another base hit to tie the game up. All of that happened with two outs.
Nick Berger was able to strand two in scoring position by inducing a pop out to the next batter.
Rollins threatened in the third when
Rob Buckley made it to third base with two outs, but he was left stranded.
Grand Valley State put together a rally in the fourth when four straight hitters reached base on three singles and a costly error at first base. The results was two runs and a 3-1 lead.
This time it was the Tars bouncing back.
Jack Herring walked to leadoff, and moved to second on a
Matthew Farner single. After a strikeout, it was Thies once again, smoking a triple to the right field corner to plate both runners and tie the game.
Both teams made pitching changes, and Mike Morawski and
Ryan Furey delivered, keeping the game tied all the way until the bottom of the eighth.
Rob Buckley led off with a single, and two batters later
Chris Sparber followed suit. Herring then chopped an easy ball to short, looking like a double-play would end the inning. However, the throw from short to second was wide, allowing every run to move up two bases, bringing Buckley in to score the go ahead run.
Nathan Tinder was called on in the ninth, and worked around a leadoff walk to capture his second save of the season.
Furey earned the win in relief with a line of four innings, two hits, one walk, and two strikeouts. Thies had two hits, five total bases, and three RBI to power the offense.
Next up for Rollins is a date with D-1 Bradley University on Tuesday, March 12. First pitch from Alfond Stadium is scheduled for 1:00 pm.
