#3 Spartans Fall to Ashland in World Series Opener

Box score

SAUGET, Ill. - The third-ranked University of Tampa baseball team was unable to overcome a late-inning rally by #16 Ashland University in the first round of the NCAA II College World Series, falling to the Eagles by a score of 6-5. Tampa falls to 42-10-1 on the season, while Ashland improves to 40-16.

The Spartans hit a trio of home runs in the game, including Steven Broschofsky's seventh of the season. Paul Cruz and Junior Mejia hit the other two long balls for Tampa. Jesus Barroso continued to swing a hot bat, collecting three hits to extend his hitting streak to 15 games. Broschofsky, Mejia, Ryan Williams, and Leo Alvarez each had two hits in the game.

Josh Bowman made his 15th start of the season for the Spartans, allowing three earned runs on eight hits through five and two-thirds innings of work. The St. Petersburg, Fla. native also walked two and struck out four. Danny Keefe came in with two outs in the sixth and pitched the next inning and two-thirds, allowing two runs on three hits while walking one and striking out two to take the loss.

The Spartans got on the board first in the third inning, as Cruz led off the inning by hitting a 0-1 pitch over the wall in right field for his fourth home run of the season to put Tampa up 1-0. Ashland answered back with a solo home run of its own in the bottom of the inning when Jacob Petkac connected for his ninth long ball of the season, tying the score at 1-1.

Tampa responded in the top of the fourth with a four-run inning to take a 5-1 lead on a pair of two-run home runs by Broschofsky and Mejia. Following a lead-off single by Nolan Brannon, Broschofsky lifted a 3-2 pitch high over the wall in left field for his seventh round-tripper of the season to put the Spartans up 3-1.
Alvarez came up to bat next and reached base on a single off the third baseman's glove with no one out. After Rob Kane moved Alvarez over with a sacrifice bunt, Mejia came to bat and drove a 1-0 pitch deep to left center, clearing the wall for his third home run of the season.

Ashland crept back into the game with a run in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI double by Chris Haycox to cut the Spartan lead to 5-2 after four. With the score still 5-2 heading into the bottom of the sixth, the Eagles came to bat and scored three runs with two men out to tie the game at 5-5. The Eagles then took the lead the following inning on their third home run of the game, a solo shot to straight away center field by Jeff Yates.

The Spartans return to the field tomorrow against Ouachita Baptist in an elimination game. Game time is scheduled for 2:30 pm CT.