Spartans top Hawks with 23 Hit Contest

Box score

TAMPA, Fla. - In a game that saw 23 hits by Spartan batters, the No. 6 University of Tampa baseball team topped Seton Hill University with a 17-8 score. Tampa improves to 12-4 on the season while the Hawks fall to a 2-4 record.

Both Shawn Pleffner and Trace Venegas went 4-for-5 on the contest, adding four and three RBI respectively. Reliever Josh Thrailkill earned the win, pitching 5.1 frames of four hit baseball, allowing a single unearned run. Thrailkill also drew three double plays as the Spartans showcased their defense.

The Griffins put up five runs in the first as the inning saw four straight hit batsmen. A double off of Seton Hill first-baseman Jared Littler quickly put the Spartans at an early deficit.

Tampa struck back in the home half of the first when Donahue led off with an up-the-middle single to start the Spartan attack. Another single by Eric Grabe pushed Donahue into scoring position. A hit-by-pitch issued to Pleffner loaded the bases for left fielder Andrew Jones to single home two. A RBI single from Damon Elder rounded out the first inning as Seton Hill leads Tampa 5-3.

In the second frame, the Spartans tallied two more runs thanks to a three-bagger by Pleffner as Donahue and second baseman Raiko Alfonso came around to score on the hit. The score knotted up at five runs a side.

Center fielder Tyler Ding took the lead in the bottom half of the third for UT he sent an RBI double to deep left. The Spartans later added another run off of a sac fly by Donahue in the fifth, Tampa leading the Griffins 7-5.

Senior Venegas tacked on a run in the sixth frame, plating Pleffner and increasing the Spartan lead to two runs.

Seton Hill added a run in the seventh off a pair of doubles, but reliever Tim Kiley pitched out of the jam, leaving the tying run at third. A trio of RBI singles from Pleffner, pinch hitter Heath Pritchard, and Venegas added four runs to the Spartan lead which stands at 12-7 at the end of the seventh.

The Spartans continued to swing a hot bat as Tampa added five runs off of five hits to end the scoring at a 17-8 margin.

Tampa returns to action Monday night as the host Saint Joseph's as their next opponent. The 7 p.m. game will be played at the University of Tampa Baseball Field.
Live stats will be available through www.tampaspartans.com.

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