Top Ranked Tampa Swept in Double Header by Lynn
TAMPA, Fla. - The University of Tampa (33-9, 11-4) dropped their first Sunshine State Conference series since April of 2005 to Lynn University (27-17, 11-7)by the scores 6-4 and 6-1.
The Fighting Knights took their first lead of the series in the top of the third on Jason Ten Eyck's sacrifice fly. Chad Crowe doubled down the left field line earlier in the inning before scoring the games first run.
Tampa answered immediately as Junior Mejia led off the bottom of the inning with a drive over the left centerfield wall for his second homerun of the season. Paul Cruz followed with a double and was driven in by Craig Corrado's double down the right field line, to give the Spartans a 2-1 lead.
Lynn took the lead with four runs in the top of the sixth, three coming on Ryan Sharman's homerun to dead center. Those three runs were unearned after a costly fielding error at short by Ryan Kennedy. The big inning gave the Knights a 5-2 lead.
Ten Eyck extended the Lynn lead to 6-2 with a solo homerun down the left field line in the seventh.
Ryan Williams hit a pinch hit double hit in the eighth and then was brought in on Ferguson's double down the left field line, bringing the Spartans one run closer at 6-3.
Tampa added another run in the bottom of the ninth but wasn't able to complete the comeback and dropped their second game of the week.
Ross Jackson fell to 4-4 on the season, giving up six runs in 6.2 innings of work. Scott Chapman was effective in 2.1 innings allowing only two hits.
The Spartans were able to draw first blood in the second game as Corrado's single to center was able to drive in Cruz, who led off the inning with a walk.
Lynn knocked out Tampa's starter, Johnny Williams with a three run inning in the third. The Knights were able to load the bases on two different occasions in the inning. Nicolas Boisvert, Joe Arminio and Rick Davis drove in a run each.
Neither Scott Leffler nor Craig Benner could stop the Lynn offense in the fourth as the visitors added three more runs to extend their lead to 6-1. Anthony Perez tossed a scoreless seventh inning.
J. Williams suffered his first loss of the season falling to 6-1 on the season.
Tampa travels to Melbourne, Fla. next Friday to take on Florida Tech in a SSC matchup.