Spartans Rebound with Sweep of Valdosta State
VALDOSTA, Ga. - The top-ranked University of Tampa baseball team (10-2) proved its resiliency by sweeping a doubleheader against Valdosta State (7-5-1) a day removed from a tough 6-5 loss to the Blazers. Tampa took the first game 16-2, and edged Valdosta 3-2 in the second game.
In game one, Tampa struck first in the top of the first after a leadoff walk by Paul Cruz, and a single by Jesus Barroso that pushed Cruz around to third. Cruz then came across to give the Spartans the early 1-0 lead on a double play.
Following a leadoff walk by Rob Kane to open the third inning, Junior Mejia attempted a sacrifice bunt that was fielded by the pitcher, who then threw wide of second base trying to get Kane at second. Kane later scored on a sacrifice fly by Cruz and an RBI groundout by Barroso, extending the lead to 3-0. Tampa added two more runs in the inning on a two-run double by Ryan Williams that scored Jose Jimenez and Nolan Brannon to take a 5-0 advantage into the bottom of the third.
With the Spartans up 5-0 in the fourth, Mejia came to bat with one down and hit a solo home run to right center, his first of the season. Brannon made it 7-0 later in the inning with an RBI single that scored Cruz.
Valdosta got its first hit in the fourth inning when Jon Koenigsfeld hit a ball into the gap in right center for a double. He later scored the Blazers' first run of the game on a double by Daniel Muniz that sliced into the gap in left center.
Tampa added runs in the fifth and sixth innings on an RBI single by Cruz, and a sacrifice fly by Brannon that scored Barroso, extending the Spartan lead to 9-1. The Blazers cut into the lead with a run in the sixth to make it 9-2 in favor of Tampa.
The Spartans added six more runs in the eighth to take a 15-2 lead, due in large part to three errors by Valdosta. Jared Simon pushed the inning's first run across with an RBI double that scored Barroso. Garret Maines drove in two more with a double down the left field line, his first hit of the game. Stephen Merino doubled in another run in the ninth to put Tampa on top 16-2.
Tampa started game two in similar fashion to the first game, taking an early 1-0 lead in the first inning on a sacrifice fly by Brannon that scored Cruz. Cruz scored again on a sacrifice fly in the third to give the Spartans a 2-0 advantage.
The Spartans made it 3-0 in the top of the fifth when Cruz scored from first on a single to right center by Jimenez. Valdosta came to bat in the sixth against Anthony Perez, the Spartan closer, and tagged Perez for two runs on an RBI single by Jesse Barfield and a sacrifice fly by Chase Blackwood.
Perez came back out for the seventh inning and shut the door on the Blazers, retiring all three batters he faced to pick up his fourth save of the season.
Scott Chapman got the start in game one and gave up two runs on five hits in seven innings to pick up his third win of the young season. He also walked two and struck out four. Daniel Foltz made his first start of the season in game two, throwing four innings of shutout ball while allowing just two hits and striking out four to earn his first career win.
Cruz led the Spartans in the two games with a combined 5-6 day that included five runs, two doubles, two RBIs, and a walk. Williams was 4-7 on the day with two RBIs. Jimenez and Brannon led the Spartans with three RBIs, while Maines and Merino chipped in two RBIs.
Tampa is back in action on Tuesday when it hosts Rollins College at 7 pm.