Spartan Comeback Falls Short in South Region Finals

LAKELAND, Fla. - The No. 2-seed University of Tampa baseball team faced a large deficit and was able to battle back within one run as it suffered an 8-7 loss to top-seed Florida Southern College in the NCAA South Regional finals.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final: No. 1 Florida Southern Moccasins 8, No. 2 Tampa Spartans 7
Records: Tampa (42-11), Florida Southern (42-9-1)
Location: Henley Field | Lakeland, Fla.
All-time Series: The Mocs now own a 103-99 record in the series, which dates back to the 1961 season.
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HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Mocs grabbed a 1-0 lead on a solo home run in the top of the second inning.
• Florida Southern broke the game wide open in the fourth inning, scoring seven runs in the inning. Each of the runs was recorded with no outs on the board as the Mocs ended their half of the inning with an 8-0 advantage.
• UT got on the board in the bottom of the fourth when it loaded the bases and scored its first run on a Brandon Gali walk.
• The Spartans cut the FSC lead to 8-4 with a three-run sixth inning. Gali singled home the first run, followed by a pinch-hit two-run double by Danny Maynard.
• Tampa continued to chip away at the FSC lead with a pair of seventh-inning runs. The Spartans had three doubles in the inning with two-baggers by Danny Sirven and Richie Rivera each driving in runs.
• The fight continued in the eighth when Darren Miller's single cut the Moccasin lead to 8-7, scoring Nick DeTringo.
• FSC ace Logan Browning finished the game with a trio of strikeouts in the ninth inning.

INSIDE THE STATS: 

• Clay Helvey made his second start of the regional and finished the season with a 5-2 record. He pitched 3.0 innings, giving up three runs.
• Cheyne Bickel followed, giving up five runs.
• Junior righthander Cole Aker gave the Spartans 5.1 scoreless innings of relief, allowing just one hit while striking out four FSC batters.
• Tyler Beck accounted the remaining 0.2 innings, allowing just one hit in scoreless action.
• Miller was 3-for-5, driving in one run and scoring a pair.
• Sirven turned in another strong day at the plate with three hits and a walk. The junior catcher scored two runs and had an RBI.
• Rivera and Maynard each had two hits.
• Gali drove in a pair of runs and also drew a walk.

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