Top Ranked Tampa Splits Doubleheader with No. 3 Georgia College
MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. - The top ranked University of Tampa baseball team battled No. 3 Georgia College in a top-5 showdown. UT split the Sunday twin-bill, winning the first game by a 12-6 score and then dropping the second in 13-5 fashion.
The Spartans end the day with a 7-1 tally while the hosting Bobcats finish with a 4-1 overall record.
Senior Michael Danner notched three hits and five RBI on the day including two home runs while also crossing the plate four times for the Spartans. Catcher Tyler York ended the day swinging 4-for-5.
Tampa took the first game slug-fest which saw six home runs between the two teams by a 12-6 final score.
Outfielder Danner tallied a pair of home runs in the first game, picking up three each of runs and RBI. Junior Stephen Dezzi roped a homer to his credit while also crossing the plate three times for Tampa.
Bobcats right fielder Jake Sandlin mirrored Danner with a pair of homers and four RBI while GC first baseman Mason Colquitt launched the final home run of the contest.
Pinch hitter York hit a bases clearing double in the bottom of the eighth, good for three RBI while Giovanny Alfonzo plated a trio of Spartans to his credit, ending the first game hitting 2-for-4. Catcher Nick Tindall hit a pair of doubles on his way to a 2-for-3 performance as the Spartans totaled 11 hits in the premier game.
Sophomore Trey Oest (3-0) earned his third win of 2014, tossing six complete innings of five-hit ball. The right-hander allowed three runs but struck out seven batters en route to the victory. Reliever Chase Sparkman threw the final two innings, allowing a single hit and picking up on strikeout.
Bobcats starter Justin Blue (1-1) was tabbed with the loss in his six-inning effort, allowing six each of hits and runs.
Tampa was on the wrong end of a game two role-reversal as Georgia College took a 13-5 win over the top team in the nation. The Bobcats capitalized on four errors to score seven unearned runs and give the Spartans its first loss of the season.
Catcher York notched a trio of singles in the second game while right fielder Sean O'Brien was the only other Spartan to tally multiple hits.
Freshman starting pitcher Jake Mielock (1-1) was tabbed with the loss, pitching two-thirds of an inning, allowing five runs, two earned, off a pair of hits.
Bobcats starter Josh Taylor (2-0) picked up the win in 4.2 innings of work, allowing five unearned runs.
The two teams will finish out the series with a rubber match set for a 1 p.m. start Monday. Live stats will be made available through www.tampaspartans.com.
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