Six Run Eighth Propels Spartans to Sweep of Shippensburg

Box score

TAMPA, Fla. - The seventh-ranked University of Tampa baseball team defeated Shippensburg University (Pa.) by a score of 10-2 to sweep the season series with the Raiders. Tampa moves to 17-4-1 with its fourth consecutive win, while Shippensburg falls to 9-9 on the season.

For the second straight day, the Raiders of Shippensburg opened the scoring with two runs in the first inning. Following a leadoff walk by Justin Garber, and a single by Kyle Rhoades, first baseman Kevin Scholly hit the first pitch he saw down the left field line for an RBI double. Rhoades later scored on a Spartan miscue to put the Raiders up 2-0.

Tampa responded with two runs of its own in the bottom of the first, getting back-to-back RBI singles from Nolan Brannon and Ryan Williams to tie the game at 2-2. The Spartans then took the lead for good in the second on an RBI double by Paul Cruz, his sixth of the season, to put the Spartans up 3-2.

Jesus Barroso, playing second base for the first time this season, collected his second hit of the day in the sixth, a two-out RBI single that scored Rob Kane from second, and put the Spartans up 4-2.

Tampa put the game out of reach in the bottom of the eighth inning, scoring six runs to take a 10-2 lead into the ninth. After a leadoff single by Junior Mejia, a walk by Kane, and a bunt single by Cruz, Barroso came to bat with the bases loaded and no outs. The native of Panama City, Panama took the first pitch for a ball, then lined a single into right field for his third hit of the game, a two-run single that scored Mejia and Kane.

The Spartans added four more runs in the inning on sacrifice flies by Casey Albanese and Garrett Maines, as well as a pair of RBI singles from Williams and Mejia.

Danny Keefe got the spot start for the Spartans, and settled down after allowing a pair of early runs in the first inning. Keefe pitched a total of three and two-thirds innings on the day, allowing two runs on three hits, walking three and striking out four Raiders. His three and two-thirds innings and four strikeouts are both new career highs for the tall right-hander from North Port, Fla.

Rick Hudson got the win for the Spartans; pitching a career high four and one-third innings and posting another career high with three strikeouts en route to picking up the first win of his career.

The Spartans had a trio of hitters with three hits in the ball game, as Cruz, Barroso, and Williams each had three base knocks. Barroso led Tampa with three RBIs in the game, while Williams drove in a pair of runs as well. Kane had a busy day in the field, collecting seven assists and making no errors in his first game at shortstop this season.

Tampa is off on Friday, but returns to the field on Saturday for the first two games of a three-game series against Wayne State University (Mich.). The first game of the doubleheader is scheduled for 1 pm.