#11 Bucs Swashbuckle #8 Spartans in Late Inning Loss

MIAMI SHORES, Fla. - A late inning rally set the tone for the No. 8 University of Tampa baseball team to fall to the No. 11 Barry University Buccaneers in 12 innings by a 7-6 final score.

The walk-off win puts Barry at a 28-12 season tally with a 14-2 Sunshine State Conference mark good for first place. The loss gives the Spartans a 27-11 record for the season and 11-5 in conference matchups.

First baseman Shawn Pleffner recorded a bevy of pairs in the scorebooks as he picked up two hits, two walks, two runs and two RBI on the game, including a two-run bomb to right field in the fourth inning. Center fielder Connor Obrochta also tabbed two hits in four at-bats in the tough late inning loss.

The game coasted in the first three innings as neither team cracked the scoreboard until the fourth frame. Pleffner smacked his two-run yard shot to break the scoreless tie and give the Spartans their first lead.

The Bucs answered back with a home run of their own as third baseman James Young went yard to cut the lead to one run heading into the fifth inning.

Tampa would add another pair of runs in the sixth as some shaky defense allowed for a 4-1 Spartan lead.Barry continued to chip away at the deficit as another solo shot off the bat of designated hitter Manny Pedrozo brings the Bucs within two runs of the visiting team.

Bucs right fielder Drew Dwelly would hit the third solo shot of the night in the seventh inning to shrink the lead to a single run.

Two more runs were tacked on to the Spartan's score with a RBI two-bagger from left fielder Andrew Jones who later came around to score on a muffed pick-off attempt, pushing UT to a 6-3 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth.

Barry matched the Spartans runs in the home half of the eighth as they touched up the Spartans for a pair of runs thanks to Young's second RBI by way of a double to left center field. A sacrifice fly brought BU to a one run difference with Tampa heading into the final inning.

The Bucs tied up the game as some late inning magic knotted up the score at 6-6.

Barry would leave the bases loaded in the bottom of the eleventh as a key double play killed the Bucs rally.

Bucs pinch hitter Adrian English would single home the winning run in the bottom of the twelfth win the first game of the series.

Aaron Gerbasi took the loss as he gave up the walk-off run after pitching 3.1 innings allowing only four hits. Bucs righty T.J. Mullins pitched six full innings in relief of BU's starter to earn the win, improving to 3-2 on the season.

The Spartans will get a chance to take the series as the two teams will play a doubleheader tomorrow to round out the three-game set.The twinbill is slated to begin at noon with the second game tabbed for a 3 p.m. start.

Fans may also follow University of Tampa athletics on Twitter (www.twitter.com/utspartans) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/tampaspartans). UT also offers blAst, a free text messaging service that sends text alerts following all Spartan events. To sign up, please register at www.tampaspartans.com.