Spartans Take Series From Lynn with 6-5 Victory

Box score

BOCA RATON, Fla. - The fourth-ranked University of Tampa baseball team (28-6-1, 8-4 SSC) held on to defeat the #27 Fighting Knights of Lynn University (25-12, 9-4 SSC) 6-5 in the finale of a Sunshine State Conference series after splitting a doubleheader with the Knights on Friday.

Paul Cruz led the Spartans to victory with a 4-5 day, including a leadoff solo home run in the seventh inning that proved to be the difference in the ball game. Nolan Brannon had a three-hit game and led the team with three RBI to tie Cruz for the team lead at 30.

Josh Bowman made his ninth start of the season, and picked up his third collegiate win with his five inning performance against the Knights. The freshman from St. Petersburg took a no-hitter into the fourth inning before surrendering a one out single to Gabe Macdougall. Bowman allowed two runs on four hits in his five innings of work, striking out four and walking two.

Spartan closer Anthony Perez pitched the last two and two-thirds innings of the game, allowing one run on three hits and striking out three to pick up his 12th save of the season. Perez extends his NCAA II lead in saves to two pending the results of this weekend's play.

Tampa scored in the first inning for the 20th time this season, pushing two men across the plate on three hits in the opening frame. After Cruz led off the game with a double to right center, and advanced to third on a passed ball, Jose Jimenez hit a two out double down the left field line, allowing Cruz to come in from third and put the Spartans up 1-0. Brannon followed with an RBI single to right center, scoring Jimenez from second to extend the lead to 2-0.

The Spartans widened the lead to 5-0 with three runs in the top of the third on a two-run double by Brannon that allowed Ryan Williams and Cruz to score. Brannon also scored on the play after a throwing error by the Knights' first baseman.

Lynn began chipping away at the lead with one run in each of the fourth and fifth innings to cut the lead to 5-2. The Knights scored on a bases loaded walk by Nicholas Bleau in the fourth, and an RBI single by Joe Arminio. With the Spartans leading 5-2 heading into the top of the seventh, Cruz delivered the eventual winning run with a leadoff home run down the right field line, his second long ball of the season to put Tampa on top 6-2.

The Knights cut the lead in half in the bottom of the seventh on a two-run home run by Arminio, his 11 th of the season that cleared the wall in right center to pull Lynn within two at 6-4.

Tampa held Lynn in check until the ninth, when Daniel Flores led off the inning with a double to center field. Macdougall followed Flores with a one out double down the left field line, scoring Flores from second to pull the Knights within one at 6-5. Perez then shut the door, forcing the next batter to ground out and striking out the final batter of the game to clinch the win and the series for the Spartans.

The Spartans are off until next weekend when they host Florida Tech in a Sunshine State Conference series. Game one is scheduled for Friday night at 7 pm, with a doubleheader scheduled for Saturday starting at 1 pm.