Top-Ranked Spartans Charge Their Way to South Region Final

Box score

TAMPA, Fla. - Behind a ninth-inning, four-run rally, the No. 1 University of Tampa baseball team bested the No. 20 ranked University of Alabama at Huntsville by a 9-5 final score, advancing to the NCAA Division II South Region final.

The Spartans ascend to 50-2 on the season while the Chargers conclude the game with a 41-15 record. UT has reached 50 wins in a season for just the third time in program history, all under the leadership of head coach Joe Urso. The last two 50-win campaigns came in the 2006 and 2007 which both resulted in national championships.

Shortstop Giovanny Alfonzo tallied three hits with a run scored and two RBI while first baseman Sean O'Brien notched a trio of hits to his credit. Senior Tyler Ding contributed a pair of hits with two RBI in the crucial win, punching the Spartans ticket to the South Region final.

Tampa wasted no time getting on the board, as Ding plated Orlando Rivera with a single to left field. Senior O'Brien would lace a two-bagger to right centerfield to set up a sacrifice fly off the bat of Michael Danner to give UT a 2-0 lead.

UAH answered in the home half of the contest as Ben Hall recorded two RBI to go along after Austin Sanders plated the first Charger run. Huntsville would claim the lead 3-2 after the inning.

The Chargers added an insurance run in the third with a sacrifice fly, giving UAH a two-run lead at 4-2.

Junior Rivera chipped away at the lead in the fifth, scoring Alfonzo on a single through the right side of the infield. Senior Zach Gawrych would tie the game an inning later with a sacrifice fly, scoring O'Brien and knotting the score at four apiece.

Third baseman Ding broke up the tie in the seventh as he singled home a run, however the Chargers would battle back in the eighth to even the score yet again at 5-5.

UT unloaded four runs in the ninth as the Spartans scored two with back-to-back walks with the bases loaded. Alfonzo scored a pair of runs with a single to push the game from reach at 9-5.

Senior Preston Packrall (10-0) threw eight complete innings, allowing four earned while scattering 10 hits to secure the win. Fellow senior Kevin McNorton tossed the final inning in relief for his third straight day of clutch pitching.

UAH closer Luke Mould (5-1) was charged with his first loss of the season, allowing three runs in two-plus innings of relief.

Tampa awaits the last team standing out of Lynn, Florida Southern and UAH, as each must win two in order to play the Spartans on Sunday's regional final, scheduled for a 12 p.m. start time at the UT Baseball Field.

Please visit TampaSpartans.com for complete information as an official tournament page will be unveiled. All fans are also encouraged to use #NCAASR on Twitter.

Tickets will be available at the gate for $10 (adults) and $8 (students and senior citizens).

Tampa will offer live stats and a video webcast for all South Regional games. A link will be available at the regional Web page, and may also be accessed through TampaSpartans.tv.