Tampa Rallies to Defeat Shippensburg

Box score

TAMPA, Fla. - The seventh-ranked University of Tampa baseball team overcame a pair of deficits against Shippensburg University on Wednesday afternoon, capturing its 16th win of the season with a 6-5 victory. Tampa is now 16-4-1 on the season, while Shippensburg falls to 9-8.

Shippensburg got on the board first against the Spartans, scoring two runs in the first, and one in the second to take an early 3-0 advantage. The Raiders got an RBI double from Kevin Scholly, and an RBI single from Rick Shumway in the first. Sean Killian led off the second with a solo home run to left center for Shippensburg.

The Spartan offense was held in check until the bottom of the fifth, when they put four runs on the board to take a 4-3 lead. After a pair of quick outs, Jose Jimenez and Nolan Brannon were each issued two out walks to put runners on first and second with two down. Ryan Williams then singled to shallow left field to load the bases for Jared Simon.

After taking the first pitch of the at-bat for a strike, Simon lined the 0-1 pitch down the left field line for a bases clearing double, advancing to third on the throw. With the score now tied at 3-3, Garrett Maines hit a slow grounder to third, and reached on an error to allow Simon to come in from third to put the Spartans up 4-3.

The Raiders reclaimed the lead with two runs in the seventh on a two-run double to center by Tyler Redick, sending the game to the bottom of the seventh with Shippensburg up 5-4.

Trailing 5-4, Jimenez led off the seventh for the Spartans with a solo home run, taking the 3-2 pitch and depositing it into the netting in left center field, tying the game at 5-5. Tampa took the lead for good on a sacrifice fly by Maines in the seventh, scoring Brannon from third and putting the Spartans up 6-5.

Nate Titus got the start for the Spartans, lasting five innings while allowing three runs on six hits. The freshman from Tampa, Fla. also walked one and struck out two. The start is the first of Titus' career, in which he set new career highs with his five innings of work, and two strikeouts.

Anthony Perez came into the game in relief of Rick Hudson in the seventh, pitching two and a third scoreless innings to pick up his second win of the season on his 21st birthday. Perez struck out three and walked one in the game.

Brannon led the team with three hits on the day, raising his batting average to .385 for the season. Simon led the Spartans with three RBIs, while Maines and Jimenez each drove in one. Jimenez's solo home run in the seventh was his third of the year, tying him with Maines and Simon for the team lead.

The Spartans are back in action tomorrow to play a single game against Shippensburg. First pitch is scheduled for 1 pm.