Spartans Drop Series Opener to Mocs

TAMPA, Fla. – The third-ranked University of Tampa welcomed in 14th ranked Florida Southern College. The Spartans battled back from a 6-0 deficit but would eventually drop the game by a final score of 7-6. UT drops to 31-7, 13-3 SSC while FSC improves to 27-11, 9-4 SSC.

The Spartans were able to get on the board in the bottom of the fifth inning, where they scored two runs. Chris Gaffney and Cody deNoyelles scored on a throwing error by the Mocs shortstop. 

In the sixth inning, Tampa would tack on two more runs to cut the deficit to 6-4 after Laz Rivera scored on an Adrian Chacon double while Vin Cosenzo scored on a Matt Piatt RBI groundout.

In the seventh inning, the Spartans were able to tie the game up at seven after the team was able to get clutch at-bats. With two outs in the inning, Osborne was able to rope a line drive into right-center field to bring in Gaffney. Osborne would then come around to tie the game at six, as he scored after Chacon drew a bases loaded walk.

FSC was able to regain the lead in the top of the eighth inning after Dominic Brugnoni scored from second on an RBI single from Pablo Cabrera.

The Spartans went down in order in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Mocs were able to secure the 7-6 victory.

The two teams will play in a doubleheader tomorrow with the first game set to begin at 1:00 p.m. 

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