#1 Spartans Slay Tigers in Doubleheader Contest
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The No. 1 ranked University of Tampa baseball team swept a Friday doubleheader against region foe Stillman College. The victories improve UT's record to 8-0 on the season, while Stillman falls to 1-6.
The Spartans took an early lead in the first game when a pair of seniors worked to score the game's first run. Shortly after a single by Damon Elder, Andrew Jones connected on a pitch for a double to right center field. The hit scored Elder. Jones and junior Jake Schrader would also go on to score that inning.
A run in the second and two more in the seventh would put the Spartans' final run total at six. Elder and Jones combined to go six-for-eight in the game, each with two singles and a double.
Stillman's hitters managed only two runs against Spartan pitching, leaving the Tigers with the loss.
Senior Sean Bierman started on the mound for the Tampa. Bierman pitched five complete innings, recorded only one earned run, no walks and four strike outs. The win marks Bierman's second this season.
Senior Evan Stobbs collected his third save after allowing only one hit in two complete innings.
Spartan bats stayed hot for the second game. Four different players, including junior Anthony Caronia, sophomore Shane Rowland, Jones, and Schrader collected two hits apiece. Schrader sent one of his hits over the outfield fence for a three-run homerun, putting a Tiger victory even further out of reach.
Spartan pitchers held the Tigers to four runs, while Tampa's offense notched 10 in seven innings of play. Junior southpaw, Ben O'Shea, started for UT. After five innings pitched, O'Shea recorded four strike outs, one walk, three earned runs and his first win of the season.
Tampa tallied 24 hits in the doubleheader, while Stillman combined for 20.
UT is scheduled to play their third game of the four-game series against Stillman on Saturday at 1 p.m.
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