#1 Tampa Uses Seven Homeruns, Corrado Cycle in Rout of Lynn

Box score

BOCA RATON, Fla. - The #1 University of Tampa (7-2) used seven homeruns to crush the Fighting Knights of Lynn (3-5) with a 24-2 score.

The Spartans didn't waste any time getting on the scoreboard. Troy Ferguson led off the game by reaching on yet another fielding error by the opposition's defense. Ryan Kennedy doubled off the left field wall, advancing T. Ferguson to third. Jose Jimenez fouled out to the left fielder but it was deep enough to score T. Ferguson. With two outs, Craig Corrado came to plate and hit a triple off the top of the wall in right center field, scoring Kennedy and giving Tampa an early 2-0 lead.

T. Ferguson crushed his second homerun of the season over the hedges in center field, driving in Nolan Brannon, who reached with a walk. Two batters later Jimenez collected his second and third RBI of the game when he also connected for his second round tripper of the season, Kennedy was on base and scored his second run in as many innings. Craig Corrado and Paul Cruz each added RBI singles before Chris Rosenbaum came to the plate and belted his first homerun as a member of the Spartans, a time that spanned three seasons. In all, Tampa scored eight runs in the second inning, six of which came via the long ball.

Lost in the offensive display was the outstanding pitching performance of Kevin Ferguson, who during the first two innings only allowed one hit. Jason Ten Eyck finally ended the shutout in the top of the third with a solo blast to left field.

The Spartans kept their foot on the accelerator in the fourth as they poured on seven more runs. Tampa led off the innings with four consecutive doubles, a Brannon two-run homerun, then a single before Lynn recorded an out.

Brannon added his second homerun in as many innings and added two more RBI to his resume as Rosenbaum scored as well. Heading into the bottom of the fifth, Tampa was dominating 19-1.

In K. Ferguson's last inning, the Fighting Knights scored on Ricky Garena's double, driving in Ten Eyck.

The sixth inning began with Brenton Cianci's lead off single, the first hit of his career. With three runs in the sixth the Spartans extended their lead 22-2.

Two batters after Jimenez demolished a curve ball offering from Mike Litrento in the seventh, Corrado hit his fourth homerun of the season, however this shot earned Corrado the designation of being the second Spartan to hit for the cycle in a game. Last season, Mena achieved the feat against Florida Southern. The Spartans led 24-2 heading into the seventh inning stretch.

K. Ferguson moved to 3-0 on the season with five innings pitched, six strike outs and two runs allowed. Joe Cox took the loss and fell to 0-2 on the season.

Jimenez and Brannon each had two homeruns and the Spartans hit seven as a team.

The same two teams finish their three game set with a double header tomorrow at 12:00 noon.