Spartans Keep Raiders At Bay In Doubleheader Sweep
TAMPA, Fla. - The No. 11 University of Tampa Spartans swept a Tuesday doubleheader against the visiting Shippensburg University Raiders, winning game one 8-4 and game two 14-9. The victories bring Tampa to 15-6 on the season while the losses drop the Raiders to 3-11.
In the first game, the Spartans got six solid innings from starter Tommy Meagher (2-1), who allowed three runs on seven hits to go along with three strikeouts en route to the win. Alex Koronis closed out the game throwing three innings of one-run ball to earn his second save of the season.
Tampa got on the board with two runs in the first after Correy Figueroa and Tyler Cox led off the game with singles and Mike Schwartz walked to load the bases. After run-scoring double play, Steven Broschofsky hit an RBI single to put UT up 2-0. Broschofsky later added a two-run homer in the fifth to stretch the lead for the Spartans. Jared Simon, Jose Jimenez, and Mike Bourdon also added RBI's in the game.
The second contest boasted more offense. Tampa tagged Raiders starter Jimmy Miller for eight runs in the first inning. Cox led off the game with a triple before a double from Brenton Cianci gave the Spartans the early lead. Jimenez added an RBI single before Simon launched a three-run bomb over the left field wall.
After Ken Gregory was issued a walk, Garrett Maines added another long home run to put Tampa up 7-0. Cianci stroked his second double of the night later in the inning to close out the eight-run first.
Shippensburg made it close, closing the gap to 8-7 in the top of the third, but the hot Spartan bats combined with three and one-third innings from Max Kreuter (1-0) kept Tampa out in front. Kreuter earned his first collegiate win, allowing three runs on four hits, striking out four.
Tampa returns to the field on Thursday in a 7 p.m. game against Grand Valley State.