Spartans Defeat Eckerd In Comeback Fashion

Box score

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The No. 10 University of Tampa Spartans (7-3) used a late inning comeback to take down Sunshine State Conference opponent Eckerd College Tritons (4-5) by a score of 3-2 in Friday night's nonconference matchup.

It wasn't until the fourth inning that either team broke through on the scoreboard. The Spartans had a bases load, no out opportunity in the first inning, when Tyler Cox and Correy Figueroa led off the inning with a single and a double, respectively. After Jesus Barroso was hit by the next pitch from Tritons starter Joey Cuda, all three Spartans were left stranded.

In the top half of the fourth, Cuda issued three consecutive walks before a wild pitch scored Steven Broschofsky from third base. In the Triton half of the inning, Tampa starter Tommy Meagher walked in the game-tying run. Eckerd added another run on an RBI groundout to give the Tritons the 2-1 lead. Meagher finished the evening with five complete innings, allowing just two runs to accompany six strikeouts.

Righty Danny Keefe came on in relief of Meagher in the sixth. Keefe threw two and two-thirds innings of one-hit baseball, giving Tampa an opportunity to get back in the game.

The eighth inning saw a flurry of offensive changes by Tampa head coach Joe Urso. After Devin Gonzalez walked on four pitches, Brenton Cianci laid down a pinch hit sacrifice bunt to move Gonzalez to second. With two outs, Nick Nordgren entered to pinch run for Gonzalez before Brett McKean picked up his first hit of the season, an RBI double to left field to tie the game at 2.

Tampa recaptured the lead in the ninth when they strung together three straight singles. Figueroa and Barroso singled before Mike Schwartz drove in Figueroa to finish the scoring and put the Spartans up 3-2.

Alex Koronis (2-0), who took the mound in the eighth with two outs, shut down the Tritons in the ninth to earn his second victory on the season. Francisco Collazo (0-1) was tabbed with the loss for Eckerd.

The Spartans return to action at 1 p.m. tomorrow for a doubleheader against the Stillman College Tigers. UT will offer live stats through www.tampaspartans.com. Fans may also sign up for eScores through the website, a free service that sends text messages on Spartan athletic events.