Tampa Advances to Decisive Game After Downing Valdosta State and Nova Southeastern

TAMPA, Fla. – Tampa drops second game of NCAA South Regional to Nova Southeastern.

GAME ONE V.S. Valdosta State (39-16)

Final Score: No. 2 University of Tampa Spartans 9, Valdosta State 3 

Location: UT Baseball Field || Tampa, Fla.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• In the first two innings Valdosta State was able to get one run across. The Spartans opened up the top of the second with back-to-back singles by Dan Sullivan and Jamarcus Lyons. Anthony Nunez would single to load the bases. A Jose Cadenas single, and a Josh Rulli hit by pitch would walk in two runs. The inning would end with Tampa pushing three runs across on four hits. Top 2 | 3-1 Tampa
• In the top of the fourth, Rulli leadoff homerun to left field, but Valdosta would follow that up with a two-run homerun in the home half to narrow the deficit to one. A Drew Ehrhard single would set the stage for Sullivan's fifth homerun of the weekend. Top 6 | 9-3 Tampa
• Cameron Sereda would retire the side in order in the bottom of the eighth. Sereda pitched three innings; stirking out three batters, while not allowing a hit or a walk. He would go on to record his second save of the season.

INSIDE THE STATS:

• Braydon Nelson would strikeout five batters and move to six wins on the season
• Rulli went 2-for-4 with 2 RBI, two runs
• Lyons went 2-for-3 with two runs
• Sullivan went 2-for-6 with 3 RBI, and two runs

GAME TWO V.S. #28 Nova Southeastern Sharks (42-12)

Final Score: No. 2 University of Tampa Spartans 8, Nova Southeastern Sharks 7

Location: UT Baseball Field || Tampa, Fla.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The seoncd game of the day kicked off with a Jose Cadenas homer to left, scoring Anthony Nunez on the play who walked earlier in the inning. Josh Rulli tripled to get on base and would later score on a bunt single by Jordan Lala with one out in the inning. The Spartans would go on to finish the inning with six runs across the board on just three hits. Bottom 2 | 6-0 Tampa
• Drew Ehrhard, who was hit by a pitch earlier in the inning, would score on a sacrifice fly by Jamarcus Lyons. Sullivan would score on a Nova throwing error to push the score to 8-0. Bottom 4 | 8-0 Tampa
• Starting pitcher, Haden Erbe improved to 11-1 on the season. The Louisiana native dealt for eight and two third innings, striking out seven Sharks, while only walking two batters on 117 pitches. Top 9 | 8-2
• Dalton Ross picked up his first save on the season in exciting fashion. Ross recorded a strikeout with bases loaded, and a full count to preserve the Spartans win. Final | 8-7 Tampa

INSIDE THE STATS:

• Jose Cadenas hit his first homerun of the season
• Jordan Lala and Dan Sullivan each recorded two hits
• Haden Erbe struck out seven batters

UP NEXT: The Spartans will return play a decisive game tomorrow against Nova Southeastern at 1:00PM. The winner will take the 2022 South Regional Title.