Late Rally Helps #2 Tampa Past Warner

LAKE WALES, Fla. - The No. 2 University of Tampa (37-6) baseball team handed Warner University (22-20) a 9-2 loss as the Spartans scored six runs in the final two innings to earn the win.

Tampa claimed the lead with a two-out rally in the second inning. Brett McKean started the scoring with an RBI triple to right-center, scoring Trace Venegas. Dan Catalano followed with an RBI single to give the Spartans a 2-0 lead.

A pair of fourth inning doubles allowed the Royals to even the score at 2-2. Neither team scored until UT's Tyler Cox singled and later scored on a wild pitch to put the Spartans ahead 4-3.

Warner threatened in the bottom of the seventh as it loaded the bases with no outs. First baseman Mike Schwartz snagged a liner and promptly tagged the Royal runner at first to complete the unconventional turn. Following a walk, UT pitcher Aaron Gerbasi survived another bases loaded jam with a two-out strikeout.

Tampa broke the game open in the eighth as Mike Bourdon tripled to right field, scoring Mike Blanke and Devin Gonzalez. The Spartan lead then became 6-2 as Bourdon scored on a sacrifice fly by Patrick Donahue.

The Spartans added three more runs in the top of the ninth as Brad Roberts led the frame off with a deep double and scored on a single by Blanke. Graham Ramos then drove in a pair of runs with a double to right field.

Carmine Giardina started for UT and pitched 3.0 scoreless innings. The senior left-hander also recorded four strikeouts for the Spartans.

Aaron Gerbasi (2-0) earned the victory for Tampa as he pitched 2.1 innings. He gave up no runs with one strikeout. Evan Stobbs threw two scoreless innings to finish out the Tampa victory.

The Spartans return home to host Barry University in a three-game Sunshine State Conference series at the UT Baseball Field. The first game is slated for Friday at 6 p.m. Live stats and a webcast will be available through www.tampaspartans.com.

Fans may also follow University of Tampa athletics on Twitter (www.twitter.com/utspartans) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/tampaspartans). UT also offers eScores, a free text messaging service that sends text alerts following all Spartan events. To sign up, please register at www.tampaspartans.com.