Top-Ranked Tampa Sweeps Lynn in Double Header

Box score

BOCA RATON, Fla. - The University of Tampa (9-2) swept two games from the Lynn University Fighting Knights (3-7) with the score 8-5 and 8-4.

The starting pitchers in the first game of the double header were determined to not make the game look like the opener of the three game series that yesterday produced a total of 26 runs. Ryan Additon of Lynn and Ross Jackson of Tampa were able to get through the first three innings without surrendering a run.

The fourth inning saw the first runs of the game when the Spartans opened up with four consecutive singles. The fourth was off the bat of Paul Cruz, an RBI through the right side, scoring Jose Jimenez. The bases were still loaded for Nolan Brannon, who popped up to shallow left field. Ricky Gerena, the shortstop, made a nice play to catch the ball, but Craig Corrado, who was on third realized Gerena wasn't in position to make a throw to the plate, tagged and scored the second run of the inning.

Lynn grabbed those two run back in their half of the fourth when Chad Crowe doubled in Rick Davis. Crowe was thrown out trying to stretch his hit into a triple on a nice relay by Roberto Mena. With two outs Gabe MacDougall tied the game with a solo homerun to left field. Jackson got out of the inning on the next pitch as Nicolas Boisvert grounded out to second.

Troy Ferguson led of the fifth with a walk, two batters later he was driven in by Jimenez's third hit of the game. Mena stepped to the plate and delivered his second homerun of the season, a two-run shot to left. The next batter, Corrado, made it back-to-back homeruns as he hit his team leading fifth of the season.

The first two batters of the Lynn fifth reached base but Tampa's second double play and Gerena's groundout to third ended any threat that the Fighting Knights posed.

The Spartans made it three consecutive innings that they scored a run, in the sixth. Once again Ferguson led off with a walk, he later scored on Mena's second RBI hit of the game, a single down the left field line. Later in the inning, Corrado stole second, the catcher's throw glanced off the shortstops glove, allowing Ryan Kennedy to score from third, and pushing Tampa's lead to 8-2.

Lynn pulled within three runs of Tampa in the bottom of the sixth with three unearned runs off reliever Scott Chapman after a costly error by Mena. Boisvert and Dan Rovetto had RBI hits in the inning.

Jonathan Holt came into the game and tossed the final two innings for his fourth save of the season.

Jackson pitched five innings, scattering eight hits and allowing only two runs leveling his record at 1-1. Additon took the loss and fell to 1-2.

Ferguson led off the second game with a triple to deep center field and scored two pitches later when Kennedy singled up the middle. With two outs Corrado doubled down the left field line, driving in Kennedy for Tampa's second run.

Lynn took their first lead of the series in the bottom of the second as Ryan Sharman drove in Crowe and Rovetto singled in Boisvert as well as Sharman, for the 3-2 advantage.

The Fighting Knights extended their lead in the bottom of the fourth when Boisvert hit a solo homerun to deep right.

Tampa scored four run in the fifth to take a 6-4 lead. Ferguson started the rally with a single, then Kennedy doubled as the ball bounced off third base into the outfield, for a double. Mena reached on fielding error by the third baseman, allowing Ferguson to score. Corrado had an RBI single, driving in Kennedy, and chasing the Lynn starting pitcher, Lonnie Patterson. Cruz drew a bases loaded walk off of Bobby Nunn. Finally, Chris Rosenbaum hit into a fielder's choice, deep enough into the hole to stay out of a double play, allowing Mena to score the fourth run of the inning.

Kennedy hit his fifth homerun of the season, this one a two run shot to left that sealed the Spartan victory in the sixth.

Johnny Williams improved to 2-0 on the season with six innings pitched and six strikeouts. Craig Benner picked up his second save of the season.

Tampa next plays host to Florida Tech this Tuesday at the University of Tampa Baseball Stadium at 7:00 pm.