Spartans Filet Sailfish in Doubleheader Sweep
Game 2
Game 2
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Palm Beach Atlantic
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 1 |
|
Tampa
|
0 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 2 | X | 12 | 15 | 2 |
Game 1
Game 1
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Palm Beach Atlantic
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 1 |
|
Tampa
|
4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | X | 15 | 18 | 0 |
TAMPA, Fla. - Five home runs fueled the No. 12 University of Tampa baseball team to power past the Palm Beach Atlantic University Sailfish in their Saturday doubleheader by a 15-3 score in game one and a 12-2 score for the second victory. The shellacking came a day after the Spartans fell to the Sailfish, as Tampa unloaded in the two games to win the series against the east coast foe.
With the dual wins, Tampa improves to 31-15 on the season while PBA plummets to 26-24 in their 2011 campaign.
Offense combined with quality pitching paced the Spartans to the twinbill sweep as five batters connected for a home run. A catalyst in the lineup, outfielder Damon Elder hit 7-for-9 with five RBI as he contributed a two-run homer on the first game. Shortstop Patrick Donahue, outfielder Zach Gawrych, third baseman Eric Grabe, and Trace Venegas notched the other four homers good for a 27-5 scoring margin for both contests.
The 33 hit battery powered the Spartan barrage as all but one Tampa batter collected a hit on the day with outfielder Tyler Ding and Elder notching five and seven respectively
Starter Ryan Kennedy (3-0) earned the game one win, pitching 5 shutout innings of two hit ball, fanning four on the contest.
The Spartans wasted no time to jump on the Sailfish starter as Donahue sent the first pitch he saw over the left field wall, good for a leadoff home run. Right fielder Shawn Pleffner and designated hitter Heath Pritchard tallied a RBI double each to pad the early lead for Tampa. UT totaled four runs in the first frame as they led 4-0 heading into the top of the second inning.
Outfielder Andrew Jones picked up his team leading 39th RBI of the season with a double down the left field line to continue the Spartan rampage in the second frame. Jones would chase the Sailfish starter with Tampa's sixth hit touching up PBA for five runs. Pleffner plated his second UT batter in as many innings while Elder singled home Jones as the Spartans end the second frame with a 7-0 lead.
Junior third baseman Grabe launched the fourth homer of the series, a solo shot down the left field line to lead off the home half of the fourth propelling Tampa to a 10-0 lead.
Tampa continued their offensive onslaught as freshman Gawrych trounced his first home run of the season, a solo shot to left to increase the lead to an 11-0 tally. The derby would not end there as two batters later junior Elder belted the fourth yard shot of the game as he connected for a two-run blast to left, giving the Spartans a towering 13-0 lead.
The Sailfish could not stop the Spartans momentum as they tacked on a pair of eighth inning runs to round out the UT offense in game one.
PBA avoided the shutout after posting three runs in the top of the ninth. The Spartans finished the first game with a 15-3 win.
Reliever Dan Foltz (4-1) earned his fourth win of the season as he pitched 2 innings allowing a single unearned run. PBA starter T.J. Harbuck was tabbed with the loss as he pitched 2 innings while allowing seven runs.
Palm Beach Atlantic began the scoring for the second game as they picked up a run off of three hits in the premier inning of play.
Tampa designated hitter Venegas knotted up the score in the second as he plated Elder who moved into scoring position thanks to a key stolen base. With the run UT ties PBA 1-1.
UT broke the tie with a monster home half of the third as they put up six runs on the frame. Pleffner stroked a two RBI single up the middle with the bases loaded to break the tie and give the Spartans a 3-1 lead. One batter later, Elder knocked his sixth hit of the day, an RBI two bagger as right fielder Tyler Ding plated an additional two runners with a double to his credit as UT continued to push the game from the Sailfish reach at a 7-1 margin.
PBA chipped at the deficit as they tacked on an unearned run in the top of the fourth inning of play.
The blazing Elder added yet another run as he singled home Pleffner who set the table with a triple to right field. Senior Venegas stroked his second homer of the series, a two-run blast to left field to give Tampa a 10-2 advantage.
UT centerfielder Cody Davis would account for the final two Spartan runs as he ripped a two RBI single to the right side giving Tampa the final score of 12-2.
The Spartans return to action for their final series of the season as they face their last Sunshine State Conference foe Eckerd College for a three game weekend matchup. The first game will be played Friday at the UT Baseball Field with a 6 p.m. start while the doubleheader will take place Sunday beginning at 1 p.m. Live stats will be provided through www.tampaspartans.com.
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