Rollins and Tampa Play to Tie in Seven Innings

Box score

TAMPA, Fla. - The University of Tampa baseball team (10-2-1) and Rollins College (10-2-1) played to a 7-7 tie when the game was called in the seventh inning because of rain. The two teams battled back and forth throughout the game, but were unable to decide the game after torrential downpours finally stopped play in the seventh.

Rollins took the first lead of the game in the top of the first with one run on three consecutive singles. After two out singles by Gene Howard and Ryan Luker, Mike Crane stepped up to bat and singled to right center, allowing Howard to come around and score the game's first run to give the Tars an early 1-0 advantage.

The potent Spartan offense stormed back in the bottom of the inning, scoring its 108th and 109th runs of the season on an RBI double by Nolan Brannon and an RBI single by Ryan Williams to take a 2-0 lead.

With the score still 2-1 in favor of Tampa, Howard came up to the plate with one down in the third, and hit a long home run to left center field to even the score at 2-2. Luker, the next batter, doubled to left center, and later scored on an error to give Rollins a slim 3-2 lead.

Tampa tied the score in the bottom of the third on an RBI single by Stephen Merino, and scored three runs in the fourth to take a 6-3 lead. Jesus Barroso was credited with an RBI double in the inning, as Jose Jimenez drove in his 12th run of the season with an RBI groundout that allowed Jared Simon to come in from third. Brannon then drove in Barroso with his second double of the game to collect his team-leading 15th RBI.

The Tars regained the lead in the top of the fifth with four runs in the inning, getting RBI singles from Kevin Schnacke, Steffano Foggi, and Howard, as well as a sacrifice fly by Corey Whiting to take a 7-6 lead. Tampa tied the game in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single by Simon that plated Merino.

Joshua Bowman got the start for the Spartans and lasted just three innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits. He also walked two and struck out four. Anthony Perez came into the game in the fifth and held the Tars at bay, surrendering two hits and striking out three in one and two-thirds innings.

Brannon was 2-2 on the day with two doubles and two RBIs to lead Tampa. Junior Mejia, Williams, Simon, and Merino also had two hits in the game.

The Spartans are back in action on Saturday afternoon when they host Northern Kentucky in a doubleheader. The first game is set to begin at 1 pm, with game two following 30 minutes after the conclusion of game one.