Rollins Advances With NCAA Regional Win Over Spartans

TAMPA, Fla. -The University of Tampa baseball team concluded its 2023 campaign in the NCAA South 1 Regional championship game against Rllincs College, falling by  7-6 score to the Tars.

The game started off with Rollins taking an early lead in the first inning when Joey Rubin scored on a single by Cam Meehan, putting Rollins ahead 1-0.

However, Tampa responded strongly in the second inning when Jose Cadenas launched a grand slam home run to left field, bringing in four runs and giving Tampa a 4-1 advantage.

Rollins didn't back down and quickly struck back in the third inning. Joey Rubin hit a powerful home run to center field, closing the gap to 4-2. Rollins continued their offensive surge as Jeslyn Whitehead and Cam Meehan both singled to bring in two more runs, tying the game at 4-4. In the fourth inning, Rollins took the lead with Whitehead's single and a wild pitch that allowed Rubin to score, giving Rollins a 6-4 lead.

The fifth inning saw Rollins extend their lead to 7-4 when Spencer Sarringar hit a single to bring in Mason Wilson.

Tampa fought back in the seventh inning, with Nico Saladino's single driving in Anthony Nunez, narrowing the margin to 7-5. In the eighth inning, Tampa's Jordan Lala scored on a sacrifice fly by E.J. Cumbo, bringing the score to 7-6 and setting the stage for a thrilling finish.

Rollins' strong pitching and defense managed to hold off Tampa's comeback efforts. Edward Berry started on the mound for Rollins, pitching three innings and allowing four runs. Ryan Murphy came in relief and played a crucial role, throwing 2.2 scoreless innings to earn the win. Tate Stonefrisina and Jeslyn Whitehead closed out the game, securing the victory for Rollins.

Dalton Ross pitched exceptionally well for Tampa, allowing no runs over 4.2 innings of relief as he allowed just two hits and struck out three Tars with no walks.

Joey Rubin stood out for Rollins with an outstanding performance at the plate, going 3-for-5 with three runs scored and an RBI. Cam Meehan contributed two hits and two RBIs, while Jeslyn Whitehead went 2-for-4 with two RBIs.

For Tampa, Jose Cadenas provided the offensive firepower with a four-RBI performance, including a home run.

With this victory, Rollins improved their season record to 38-17, while Tampa's record fell to 43-12.Rollins advances to the NCAA South Super regional, where it will host Barry University for the right to advance to the 2023 NCAA Championship Series in Cary, N.C.