Spartans Use Big First Inning To Slay The Purple Knights

TAMPA, Fla. – The University of Tampa's baseball team extended its winning streak to 12 games after cruising by the University of Bridgeport, Monday night at the UT Baseball Field. UT pounded out 17 runs on 17 hits to improve its record to 20-1 after the 17-4 victory. UB now drops to 5-3-1 on the season after the loss.

Casey Scoggins got things started early on for UT, as the senior hit his seventh triple of the season. Scoggins would come in and score after an RBI groundout by Danny Lee. After the Spartan hitters strung together four consecutive singles, Cody deNoyelles came up to hit with the bases loaded. He would take a 1-0 fastball and deposit it over the left field fence to jump out to a 6-0 lead. The scoring did not stop there as the home team would tack on another eight runs to end the first inning leading 14-0. Tampa would score the 14 runs on 12 hits, and all but one was earned.

The Spartans bats would then go cold for the next four innings, as Adam Thayer threw 4.1 innings, allowing no base runners to get on. Thayer would also record four strikeouts in his appearance.

Bridgeport would add two runs in the top of the fifth inning and added another in the top of the sixth to cut the lead down to 14-3.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Tampa would get back on the board as Vin Cosenzo would hit his first home run of the season to push the lead to 15-3.

The home team would push across another two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to conclude its scoring for the night at 17 runs.

Nick Nolan earned the start for UT going five innings, allowing six hits and two unearned runs. Nolan also recorded four strikeouts on the night in the victory. This is the first victory in a Spartan uniform for the right-handed pitcher.

Cody Martin would pitch in relief going two innings, allowing one hit and punching out two batters.

Kasey Radke and Bryan Tarricone each threw one inning in the victory combining for two strikeouts.

deNoyelles led the way for the Spartans, as the senior went 3-for-45 with two doubles, a home run, and six RBI. Scoggins, Laz Rivera, J.D. Osborne, and Matt Piatt all recorded multiple hits on the night.

Tampa will be back in Sunshine State Conference play this weekend as they welcome in the Nova Southeastern University Sharks for a three-game series. The two will play one game on Friday and a doubleheader on Saturday. The Sharks are the reigning SSC champs.

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