Late Comeback Falls Short as Tampa Loses to No. 23 Quincy

TAMPA, Fla. –  The University of Tampa Spartans nearly completed a comeback from an eight-run deficit but dropped a close game to No. 23 Quincy University for their first loss of the season.  

Final: No. 23 Quincy Hawks 8, No. 3 Tampa Spartans 7 

Records: Tampa (3-1), Quincy (1-0) 

Location: UT Baseball Field || Tampa, Fla. 

All-Time Series: Quincy leads the series 3-2.

HOW IT HAPPENED: 

• Quincy opened the scoring in the top of the first inning. Lance Logsdon reached base with an opposite-field double and Luke Napleton followed with a two-run home run to left field. | 2-0 Hawks
• In the top of the second inning, Quincy added another run on an RBI single from Zach Parks that came on a full-count pitch with two outs that scored Adam Lewis from first base. | 3-0 Hawks
• The Hawks exploded for four runs in the top of the fourth inning. Tampa starter Michael Paul allowed two walks and a single to start the inning and promptly ended his evening. Beckett White was brought in to face the top of the Quincy order with the bases loaded and no outs. Gino D'Alessio walked to bring in the first run of the inning, and Logsdon brought in two more runs with a single. The final run of the inning came on an RBI fielder's choice by Austin Simpson. | 7-0 Hawks
• Quincy tallied one more run in the top of the fifth inning when Brock Boynton led off with a single and reached second base on an error. He would later score on a passed ball. | 8-0 Hawks
• Tampa began to fight back in the bottom of the fifth inning. A pair of hits from E.J. Doskow and Nico Saladino to start the inning set up two runners in scoring position. Jordan Lala drove both in with an opposite-field single. | 8-2 Hawks
• The Spartans cut the Quincy lead in half in the bottom of the seventh inning. A pair of RBI doubles by J.D. Urso and Santiago Garavito brought in the first two runs, and Anthony Nunez capped off the inning with an RBI single. | 8-5 Hawks
• Tampa put together a two-out rally in the bottom of the ninth inning. E.J. Cumbo started the comeback attempt with a single followed by a Garavito double that set the table for Nunez to come to the plate as the tying run. He drove in both runners to make it a one-run game and knocked Quincy reliever Elijah Ecton out of the game. | 8-7 Hawks
• Right-handed reliever Carter Endisch entered the game in a save situation but hit the first batter he faced to put the winning run on base. Saladino lined out to the first baseman to end the game. | Final: 8-7 Hawks   

INSIDE THE STATS:

• Nunez finished with 3 hits and 3 RBI
• Cameron Sereda tossed 4 shutout innings in relief, allowing 3 hits and striking out 7
• Garavito went 2-4 with 2 doubles and 1 RBI
• Drew Ehrhard, Cumbo, and Doskow all had multi-hit nights

UP NEXT: Tampa will continue a three-game series against Quincy on Saturday, February 11 at 12:00 p.m.