Falcons Defeat Tampa in Season Opener
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Bentley
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 1 |
|
Tampa
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0 |
TAMPA, Fla. - The No. 4 University of Tampa baseball team dropped its season opener to visiting Bentley University by a 5-3 score. The loss gives the Spartans a 0-1 tally while the Falcons start 1-0 for the 2013 campaign.
Outfielder Zach Gawrych picked up a hit in two plate-appearances while flashing some speed with four stolen bases to start the season. Despite the loss, UT hosted a record-breaking crowd with 733 spectators in the stands, including Spartan legend Tino Martinez and former major leaguer Ozzie Timmons.
Tampa starting pitcher Preston Packrall tossed a near-perfect five innings of work as the right-hander gave up two hits and struck out five in the no-decision. Bentley hurler JP Ashline mirrored with four solid innings of one-hit baseball.
The battle of the bullpens began as the Spartans jumped to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fifth frame as shortstop Jacob Tillotson singled home and unearned run off of BU reliever Jeff Croteau.
Junior Gawrych set the table in the sixth with a single up the middle. The speedster legged out a pair of stolen bases to allow for Jake Schrader to hit a RBI single to right center, scoring the second run of the contest and giving Tampa a 2-0 lead.
Bentley bounced back with a three-bagger off the bat of Falcon outfielder Tom Nagy to score the opponents first run and cut the Spartan lead to 2-1.
Nagy later capitalized with the bases-loaded to send a grand slam to straight-away center, giving Bentley the advantage at 5-2.
Tampa tried to rally in the home half of the eighth as B.J. Zimmerman plated Gawrych with a single.
Bentley right-hander Croteau earned the win, pitching five complete in relief, allowing three runs off five hits, striking out two. Spartans pitcher Caleb Kellogg was tabbed with the loss in 1.2 innings of work.
Tampa looks for redemption against the Falcons as they play game two of the series Saturday at 6 p.m. A live video webcast will be available through www.tampaspartans.tv.
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