Spartans Split Series Finale With Lions

ST. LEO, Fla.  – The No. 3 University of Tampa baseball team completed a suspended game victory over Saint Leo University before falling to the Lions in the rubber game of the series on Sunday.

Final Score – GAME ONE: No. 3 University of Tampa Spartans 6, Saint Leo University Lions 3
Final Score – GAME TWO: Saint Leo University Lions 9, No. 3 University of Tampa Spartans 4
Records: Tampa (34-9, 23-4 SSC), Saint Leo (26-18, 13-10 SSC)
Location: Thomas B. Southard Stadium || St. Leo, Fla.
All-Time Series: Tampa now holds a 137-47 lead in the all-time series. The series victory by the Lions marks the first time UT has lost a road series at Saint Leo.

HOW IT HAPPENED -- GAME ONE:

• The Lions jumped on the board early in the first putting two runs up against Alex Canney with a fielder's choice and a single up the middle | 2-0 Saint Leo.
• Tampa looked to answer in the second with Anthony Nunez leadoff single but was left stranded in scoring position | 2-0 Saint Leo.
• To start the third, Jordan Lala led off with a double down the left field line. Lala advanced to third on a passed ball and Drew Ehrhard did the job with a sacrifice fly to right | 2-1 Saint Leo.
• With two outs in the fourth, the lions cashed in on a passed ball and Houin was able to score from third | 3-1 Saint Leo.
• A couple of singles to lead off the inning in the fifth put two runners in scoring position for the Spartans with no outs. Ehrhard had an infield single to third that scored Cadenas, J.D. Urso followed that up with a sacrifice fly to left and tied the ball game | 3-3 Tied.
• Cadenas led off the seventh with a double to left center and advanced to third on Lala's ground out.
• Top of the eighth started with E.J. Cumbo reaching first by an error, then Nunez followed that up with a single to left. Jamarcus Lyons broke the tie with an infield single that brought home both Cumbo and Nunez. UT would add an insurance run on an RBI single off the bat of Nico Saladino in the eighth.| 6-3 Tampa

INSIDE THE STATS – GAME ONE:

• Ehrhard drove in two runs on a pair of hits.
• Lala also collected a pair of hits from his leadoff spot and scored twice.
• Lyons drove in two runs and scored another.
• Also registering two hits were Saladino and Jose Cadenas.
• Alex Canney started for the Spartans and had a no decision. The sophomore went 6.0 innings, allowing just one earned run.
• Braydon Nelson improved to 5-0 on the season as he tossed 3.0 scoreless frames. He added four strikeouts as he struck out the side in the ninth.

HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME TWO:

• The Lions broke a scoreless tie in the third on a pair of runs. | 2-0 Saint Leo
• Tampa got on the board in the top of the fourth when E.J. Cumbo bl;asted a two run home run, also scoring J.D. Urso. | 2-2 tie
• A solo shot from the Lions in the fourth put the home team back on top. | 3-2 Saint Leo
• Cadenas launched a solo home run in the fifth, which was followed by a Lyons home run in the sixth. | 4-3 Tampa
• The Lions would respond with six unanswered runs to take the game. Saint Leo would plate three in the sixth, two in the seventh and one in the eighth.

INSIDE THE STATS -- GAME TWO:

•  Cumbo was 2-4 with a pair of runs batted in and a run scored on his home run.
• Anthony Nunez and Lyons each added two hits.
• Ehrhard extended his hitting streak to 14 games with a pair of hits.
• Ehrhard continues to move closer to the UT all-time hits record. With five hits over the weekend, he is now in second place with 333 career hits. The school record of 339 by Ronnie Merrill is next for the senior.

UP NEXT: UT closes the regular series at home against Lynn, hosting the Fighting Knights Friday at 6 p.m., followed by a 3 p.m., doubleheader on Saturday.