Spartans Drop Series Opener To Saint Leo

Box score

TAMPA, Fla. - The 13th-ranked University of Tampa Spartans fell to Saint Leo University 13-3 in Friday night's Sunshine State Conference series opener. The Spartans drop to 30-12 on the season and 8-5 in the SSC, while the Lions improve to 15-27 and 5-11 in league play.

The Lions took a quick lead in the first when Bobby Munoz hit a solo homer to left off starter Danny Keefe (3-4). SLU stretched the lead to 3-0 in the second on a two RBI double off the bat of J.C. Suarez.

The Spartans responded in the bottom half of the inning when Jose Jimenez led off with a single up the middle. Steven Broschofsky followed with a walk before a three-run homerun from first baseman Jared Simon, his seventh of the season, tied the score at three.

Keefe lasted four and two-thirds against the Lions, allowing six runs, five earned, off eight hits. Keefe struck out five and walked none before being relieved by Tommy Meagher. Meagher finished out the fifth but gave up a three-spot in the sixth inning to make the score 9-3.

Lions' cleanup hitter Aaron McLamar went 3-for-5 and added three runs batted in on the evening while Jonathan Duncan also plated one. Saint Leo outhit the Spartans 19-12 as the three-run shot from Simon and a 3-for-3 day for second baseman Correy Figueroa were the few bright spots for the Tampa offense.

Jeff Bloomer (2-2) took the mound for Saint Leo, making his eighth start of the season. Bloomer scattered 10 hits over six innings en route to the win. Caleb Fuddy tossed two scoreless innings before Eric Nickolaison finished it out with a perfect ninth.

The teams will meet again tomorrow afternoon in a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. UT will offer livestats through www.tampaspartans.com.