Top-Ranked Spartans to Host No. 10 Lynn in SSC Showdown

TAMPA, Fla. - After picking up a midweek win over Southeastern University, the No. 8 University of Tampa Spartans baseball team will host the visiting No. 10 Lynn University Fighting Knights. The two-day, three-game Sunshine State Conference series is set to begin Friday night at 6 p.m. from UT Baseball Field.

The Spartans are the nation's No. 8 team, and currently boast a 7-5 Sunshine State Conference record. Maintaining an impressive 25-10 record overall, the Spartans' all-time record against the Fighting Knights is 63-23. During the 2014 season, the Spartans swept Lynn in the SSC series at the Fighting Knights' home complex in Boca Raton, Fla.

The Spartans have two hitters posting a .400-plus batting average, including senior Brett Jones (.421) and junior Keaton Aldridge (.415). In addition, Tampa's roster boasts 10 more players with an average above .300 - Giovanny Alfonzo, Nick Flair, Casey Scoggins, Chris Pagliarulo, Joe Walsh, Stephen Dezzi, Ian Townsend, Cody deNoyelles, Nick Tindall, and Andrew Amaro.

Tampa starting pitchers David Heintz (3.58 ERA), Brad Hencke (4.08 ERA), and Chase Sparkman (4.33 ERA) have led the Spartans in 146.2 innings pitched, striking out a total of 108 batters. As a whole, the pitching staff has recorded 259 strikeouts, walking 98 batters in 305.2 innings pitched.

Lynn heads into the weekend series with a 27-8 record, and finished the 2014 season with a 35-16 record and a trip to the NCAA South Region Tournament.

Tampa has been nationally ranked for 21 consecutive seasons dating back to 1994. Additionally, the Spartans have been a mainstay in the top-10 under Urso as they have been in the top-10 each of his 15 seasons at the helm. This also marks the sixth time that the Spartans are a preseason No. 1, and the second straight.

Live stats and video will be available for all games. Fans may follow live stats at Tampa.Statbroadcast.com, or TampaStats.com on a mobile device. Fans may also watch live through TampaSpartans.tv.

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