Spartans Sweep Wayne State with 20-10 Win

Box score

TAMPA, Fla. - The seventh-ranked University of Tampa baseball team recorded its 20th victory of the season on Sunday in the series finale against Wayne State, defeating the Warriors 20-10 en route to the series sweep. Tampa improves to 20-4-1 on the season, while Wayne State falls to 2-6.

Wayne State got out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning, scoring two runs on two hits, including an RBI double by Drew Churchward. The Spartans responded with five runs in the bottom of the inning, capped by a bases clearing double by Leo Alvarez with the bases loaded. Tampa also got RBI singles from Ryan Williams and Rob Kane in the inning to take the lead for good.

After the Warriors closed the gap to 5-4 with a run in the top of the third, Tampa tacked on three runs on just one hit, a two-run double by Paul Cruz, to take an 8-4 lead into the fourth.

With the score 9-4 in favor of the Spartans, the Tampa offense exploded for eight runs in the bottom of the fifth on six hits and two errors by the Warriors. After an RBI double by Jose Jimenez, and a one-run single by Nolan Brannon, Williams took a 1-2 pitch out of the ball park for a three-run home run, his second of the season to put Tampa up 14-4.

Brett McKean added a pinch-hit, bases clearing double with the bases loaded later in the inning, setting a new career high in RBIs with one swing to extend the lead to 17-4 after five innings. Tampa scored its final three runs of the game in the seventh on a bases loaded walk by Steven Broschofsky, and a two-run double by Alvarez.

The Warriors came to bat in the eighth trailing 20-4, but began to battle back with four runs on four hits, highlighted by a two-run single by Scott Martin that cut the lead to 20-8. Wayne State added two more runs in the top of the ninth on a two-run double by Derek Ranck to pull within ten of the Spartans at 20-10.

Daniel Foltz got the start for the Spartans, and picked up his third win of the season in his third start. The freshman from Key West, Fla. allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits in five innings of work. He also walked three, and struck out three. John Weidenbauer made his first appearance since Feb. 16 against Stillman, throwing one inning of shutout ball, while walking one and striking out one.

Alvarez set new career highs in five offensive categories, going 3-5 with three runs scored, three hits, two of them doubles, and five RBIs, all of which are new career bests. Williams set a new career high with three runs scored and tied previous career highs with three hits and four RBIs. McKean tied a career high with three at-bats, and set new ones with two hits, two doubles, and three RBIs.

Tampa's 20 runs in the game are the most it has scored this season, and pushes the team's run total for the season to an even 200 in its first 25 games.

The Spartans are off until next Friday, Mar. 21 when they travel to St. Petersburg for the first game of a three-game set with Sunshine State Conference opponent Eckerd College to continue SSC play. First pitch is scheduled for 7 pm.