Spartans Advance in NCAA Tourney with 7-4 Win over Cal Poly Pomona
CARY, N.C. - The University of Tampa Spartans baseball team (40-13) defeated the Cal Poly Pomona Broncos (43-16) to advance to the NCAA Championship Series winners bracket, Sunday evening from the NCAA Championships in Cary. The 7-4 extra inning victory came after four hours and 15 minutes of play.
Tampa entered the championships after clinching the program's 17th NCAA South Regional, and third straight. The Spartans are currently in the hunt for its seventh national championship, which would be the fourth under head coach Joe Urso.
Junior Michael Calkins started on the mound for the Spartans, tossing five complete innings and receiving a no decision for the day. The lefty allowed just two runs on six hits, walking one and striking out four. In 23 batters faced, the junior recorded a total of 93 pitches for the day.
Coming out to pitch in the top of the sixth for the Spartans was junior righty Dylan Barrow, who has appeared in 22 contests this season. The reliever threw four complete innings, allowing two runs on three hits and walking three. Striking out one, Barrow faced 21 batters and registered an astounding 84 pitches to earn the victory.
Senior Taylor Brookes appeared in the bottom of the tenth inning, throwing one complete and allowing no walks and just one hit, earning the save.
The Spartans came out in the top of the first inning with their bats ready to go, rallying for three runs and an early lead. Senior Andrew Amaro jumpstarted the inning with a single through the left side and quickly stole second base. One out later, Amaro stole third to give Tampa a runner just 90 feet from home. A double down the left field line from Stephen Dezzi did the deed, scoring Amaro and putting another Tampa runner in scoring position. After a strikeout gave the Broncos two outs, Spartan senior Brett Jones reached on an error that allowed Dezzi to score and force a 2-0 lead. Senior Nick Flair then continued the offensive surge, sending a double to right-centerfield and scoring Jones to end the inning up 3-0.
Cal Poly Pomona picked up their first run of the day in the bottom of the second inning on a sacrifice fly, and tacked on another in the bottom of the fifth with two hits.
After four scoreless innings for Tampa, the Spartans came out in the top of the sixth with just a one-run lead in their favor. Senior Giovanny Alfonzo led off the outing with a one-out single through the left side, and Nick Flair followed his lead one out later with a single to left field. Chris Pagliarulo then stepped to the plate and ripped an RBI double down the rightfield line, scoring Alfonzo and extending the Spartans' lead to 4-2.
The two-run lead was short-lived, as the Broncos returned in the bottom of the sixth inning to take back the run on a sacrifice fly.
Two additional scoreless innings brought the game into the ninth, as the Spartans led 4-3. Despite threatening in the top of the inning, Tampa's offense was unable to plate any runs. In the bottom of the inning, however, Cal Poly Pomona registered a single and a double to score a run and tie the score at 4-4, sending the game into extra innings.
Tampa come out in the top of the tenth inning to regain the lead that they had for most of the game. After Brett Jones led off the inning with a hit-by-pitch, Chris Pagliarulo sent a one-out single up the middle to give Tampa two base runners. As a hit-by-pitch to Cody deNoyelles loaded the bases, senior Nick Tindall registered what would be the game-winning RBI hit-by-pitch to go ahead, 5-4. With the bases still loaded and two outs, junior Casey Scoggins blasted a double up the middle to score Pagliarulo and deNoyelles for two insurance runs.
The Broncos threatened in the bottom of the tenth inning, but it would not be enough as the Spartans clinched the 7-4 victory to continue on in the tournament.
Offensively, Tampa recorded 11 hits in the outing, registering four extra-base hits and taking eight free bases. The Spartans also forced one Broncos' error and senior Andrew Amaro picked up the team's two stolen bases.
Tampa will continue the hunt for the title with a game against Mercyhurst in a NCAA Division II Final Four game. The contest is scheduled for Tuesday, May 26 at 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Fans may watch the game live through TampaSpartans.tv. Live stats will be available through Tampa.Statbroadcast.com.
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