Spartans Cruise Past Pioneers for 17th Win

Box score

BOCA RATON, Fla. - The No. 1 ranked University of Tampa Spartans baseball team defeated the LIU Post Pioneers by a final score of 20-9 on Monday. The game was played at Santaluces Athletic Complex, a neutral site. First pitch for the game took place at 1:00 PM.

Kevin Martin got the nod for the Spartans and came out firing. Martin retired 8 of 10 batters to start the game and kept the Pioneers scoreless. The Pioneers were able to get 4 runs off Martin in the 4th, but it was smooth sailing from there. Martin allowed 4 runs and 7 hits in 5 innings pitched, but thanks to the Spartans offense, was enough to get him the win.

The headline for this game was the Spartans offense, making it two consecutive games of amazing offensive production by the team. Tampa's bats were quiet in the bottom of the first, but that would be the final time for the rest of the game. The Spartans put up atleast one run in every inning after the first. The most offensive production came in the bottom of the 5th and bottom of the 8th, where the Spartans scored 5 and 6 runs.

Tampa headed into the bottom of the 3rd with only a 1-0 lead and were prepared to break it open. Andrew Amaro and Stephen Dezzi were able to score on sacflys from Nick Flair and Ian Townsend. With the bases cleared, Cody deNoyelles hit a solo homerun to left field to increase the Spartans lead. The next batter, Nick Tindall, hit a dep shot to left field making it back to back homeruns for the Spartans, giving them a 5-0 lead.

After a tough defensive inning and small offensive inning, the Spartans headed into the bottom of the 5th with a 7-4 lead. With 2 outs down in the 5th, Casey Scoggins and Ty Cooler were able to get on base. Andrew Amaro roped a double to left center to bring Scoggins and Cooler around to score. Nick Flair was hit by a pitch and Stephen Dezzi walked, both joined Amaro on the basepath. The next batter, Ian Townsend, scorched a ball down the righfield line that brought all 3 runners around to score and landed Townsend with a triple, extending the Spartan lead to 12-4.

Brett Jones came on for Kevin Martin and pitched lights out for the Spartans. Jones would finish with 1 hit allowed in 2 innings of pitching. Logan LaPace came on for Jones and had a tough outing, allowing 5 runs in the top of the eighth. Zach Favre came in for LaPace and was able to escape the bases loaded jam with a 4 pitch strikeout.

With the Spartans lead only being 14-9, it was time to add on some extra insurance runs. Zion Bell and Vin Cosenzo led off the inning with consecutive walks, putting them on first and second with no outs. Michael Kleinman roped a single to the outfield to bring around Bell to score. Ian Townsend came up big once again hitting a triple down the right field line that brought Cosenzo and Kleinman around to score, giving him 7 RBIs on the day. Chris Pagliarulo roped a double to bring Townsend around to score. Ty Cooler finished off the scoring with an RBI single that brought Keaton Aldridge around to score.

Zach Favre came back out for the 9th and shut the Pioneers down. Favre finished with 3 strikeouts in 1 inning pitched, making the Spartans 17th win of the season official. The University of Tampa Spartans baseball team will play again tomorrow in Clearwater, Florida against West Chester. First pitch will take place at 11 AM.

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