WINTER PARK, Fla. (February 14, 2025) - The Tars returned home Friday and picked up a 12-4 victory over Assumption University behind a strong start from
Tyler Toro, and a lineup of hot bats. Rollins improves to 4-3 on the seaosn with the win, while the Greyhounds move to 0-1 after their season opener.
It wasn't fancy, but RBI groundouts in each of the first two frames by
Mason Wilson and
Angelo Ramirez gave the Tars an early 2-0 advantage. The damage was louder in the third when graduate student
Jeslyn Whitehead stepped up to the plate. Whitehead crushed the first pitch he saw over the center field wall for his first home run of the year.
Rob Buckley added an RBI single later in the inning to increase the lead to 4-0. The two-out base knock by Buckley was part of his three-hit day, the first three-hit performance of the senior's career at Rollins.
The early run support was supplemented by an outstanding start by
Tyler Toro. The junior picked up his first win in a Tars uniform after transferring in from Lake Sumter (FL) this fall. Toro tossed 5.2 innings. allowing just one run on three hits. Most impressively, Toro fanned eight while walking none.
After the Greyhounds picked up a run in the top of the fifth,
Corey Zientek stepped up to the plate with bad intentions. The graduate transfer smashed his second home run in a Tars uniform, this one bringing home three, extending the lead to 7-1. It was his second straight game with an extra base hit.
Michael Furry, also swinging a hot bat, brought home two more with an RBI double later in the inning. Furry now has back-to-back games with multiple hits and RBI.
Chris Sparber joined the home run party with a moon shot of his own on the bottom of the eighth as a pinch hitter. The tank to left gave the Tars a 12-1 lead. After the Greyhounds struck across a few in the ninth, Rollins grabbed their fourth win of the season with a 12-4 final.
The Tars will be back in action Saturday afternoon. First pitch from Alfond Stadium will take place at 1:00pm. Can't make it to the game? Don't worry, RollinsSports.com has you covered! Check out the free live stream and all the updates on the website.
