York Gives Tampa Walk-Off Win Over Walsh
TAMPA, Fla. - With an extra-inning base-hit from Tyler York, the No. 1 University of Tampa baseball team walked off with a pair of wins against Walsh University. Tampa won the first game 9-1 and then took the second contest in dramatic fashion with a 3-2 walk-off.
The Spartans improve to 14-1 on the season while the visiting Cavaliers dip to 1-5 on their 2014 campaign.
Catcher York was the hero of the day, picking up three hits in the second game including the game-winning RBI in the eighth. Stephen Dezzi proved to be the offensive spark, as the junior totaled five hits and scored four times for the Tampa squad.
UT concluded the first game with a 9-1 final score, as the Spartan bats amassed 11 hits. Designated hitter Dezzi led the charge with a 3-for-5 performance, including a double, while crossing the plate twice for the UT team. Seniors Tyler Ding and Sean O'Brien notched a pair of hits in the contest while Nick Tindall picked up two each of hits and RBI.
The Cavaliers kept the game within reason, as Tampa scored a run in each of the first two innings before tacking on a pair of runs in the fifth thanks to a Connor Obrochta double and a RBI single from Ding.
The Spartans tallied four runs in the seventh frame as Tindall plated two runs with a double down the leftfield line.
Starting pitcher David Heintz (4-0) earned the win, throwing 6.2 innings of five-hit baseball, allowing a single unearned run while striking out six batters. Walsh starter Joe Tann (0-1) was the pitcher of record, allowing four runs off five hits over five frames of work.
Game two turned into a pitcher's duel, as freshman Jake Mielock limited the Cavaliers to a single run over his five innings of work. The starting pitcher struck out seven while limiting Walsh to three hits.
Cavaliers starter Brandon Whitslar threw six complete innings, allowing seven hits and two runs, though only one was earned.
The two squads turned to the bullpen with the game on the line. The Cavaliers were able to tie the game in the top of the sixth as WU sophomore Jason McPeek roped a single to score Drew Link and knot the game.
Sophomore Dezzi led off the eighth inning with a single to left field, advancing to second on the throw. Third baseman Dominic Millan bunted him to third on the sacrifice, setting the table for York to hit a game-winner to centerfield, sealing the Spartan win.
Reliever Kevin McNorton (2-0) shut down the Cavaliers after the game-tying run to give Tampa a chance at a walk-off. The senior threw three innings, allowing four hits and picking up four strikeouts.
Walsh reliever Donnie Macko (0-1) was credited with the loss, allowing three hits and the winning run.
Tampa will finish its series against Walsh University with a matinee scheduled for Sunday at 1 p.m. Live stats as well as live video webcast will be made available through www.tampaspartans.tv.
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