Ninth Inning Spartan Comeback Falls Short Against Rollins

TAMPA, Fla. - Facing Rollins College in the winner's bracket at the 2023 NCAA South Regional, the University of Tampa baseball team fell short in an 8-7 setback against the Tars.

The game started with a strong defensive display from both teams, resulting in a scoreless first inning. In the second inning, Rollins took the lead when Spencer Sarringar singled through the right side, allowing Parker Smith to advance to third base and Cam Meehan to score, giving Rollins a 1-0 advantage.

Tampa quickly countered in the bottom of the second inning when Jamarcus Lyons hit a powerful home run to left field, bringing the score to 1-1. The third and fourth innings remained scoreless for both teams as the pitchers showcased their abilities to keep the opposition in check.

Rollins regained its lead in the top of the fifth inning as Cam Meehan launched a home run to right-center field, bringing home Jeslyn Whitehead and pushing Rollins ahead 3-1.

Rollins continued to apply pressure in the sixth inning, with Joey Rubin hitting a sacrifice fly to left-center field, enabling Sarringar to reach third base and Smith to score. Adams Torres followed it up with a single to left field, allowing Sarringar to cross home plate, extending Rollins' lead to 5-1.

Tampa made a comeback bid in the bottom of the sixth inning when E.J. Cumbo singled to right-center field, bringing home Drew Ehrhard and narrowing the deficit to 5-2. In the seventh inning, Santiago Garavito hit a home run down the right-field line, reducing the gap to 5-3. Drew Ehrhard then singled through the left side, driving in Nico Saladino, making the score 5-4.

Rollins responded in the eighth inning as Parker Smith hit a powerful home run down the right-field line, adding another run to their tally and increasing their lead to 6-4. In the ninth inning, Cam Meehan showcased his skills once again, hitting a home run to left field, bringing in Adams Torres and stretching Rollins' advantage to 8-4.

Tampa showed resilience in the bottom of the ninth inning when Jordan Lala singled to left-center field, driving in Garavito and closing the gap to 8-5. J.D. Urso then hit a double to center field, extending his reached base streak to 56 games, bringing home Lala and Jose Cadenas, narrowing Rollins' lead to 8-6. However, Rollins managed to hold off Tampa's late surge and secured the victory with a final score of 8-7.

With the loss, UT will face Spring Hill College on Saturday at 1 p.m., with the winner meeting Rollins on Saturday at 5 p.m. In the double-elimination format, the Tars need a Saturday night victory to win the regional, while the UT/Spring Hill winner will need a pair of wins over Rollins.

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