27 Runs Give No. 1 Tampa Series Opening Win Over Eckerd

TAMPA, FL. – The #1 University of Tampa Spartans take the series opener against Eckerd.

Final: #1 Tampa 27, Eckerd 1

Records: #1 Tampa (36-6, 20-2 SSC), Eckerd (10-31, 5-17 SSC)

Location: UTampa Baseball Field | Tampa, FL.  

All-Time Series: This was the 170^th meeting between these two programs. The Spartans are 127-43 against the Tritons. 

HOW IT HAPPENED: 

• Jordan Williams led off the Spartans at the dish by getting plunked by a pitch. Nico Saladino then drew a walk. After J. Williams and Saladino stole third, J.D. Urso drew a walk to give the Spartans the bases loaded with nobody out to begin the game. Brayden Woodburn doubled to left field to bring J. Williams and Saladino home. Jhoander Irigoyen then grounded out to the pitcher to bring home Urso to give the Spartans an early lead. End 1 | 3-0 Tampa
• Cole Russo drew a walk to lead off the inning. Maddox King followed with a double to right center to set the Spartans up in business with second and third with nobody out. After J. Williams drew a walk to give the Spartans the bases loaded, Saladino followed, drawing a walk to bring in Russo and advance King and J. Williams 90 feet. Urso then flew out to right field to bring home King. J. Williams and Saladino would advance another 90 feet on the play. Woodburn then lined out to center field to bring home J. Williams. End 2 | 6-0 Tampa
• Edgardo Villegas singled to lead off the inning. With one out, Russo doubled to right center, and Villegas advanced to third on the play. After a King walk to load up the bases, J. Williams walked to advance everyone 90 feet and bring home Villegas. Saladino followed with a fly-out to center field to bring home Russo. Urso then doubled down the right field line to bring home King, and J. Williams would advance to third on the play. J. Williams and Urso would then advance 90 feet on a wild pitch. J. Williams would come into score on the pitch. Woodburn then drew a walk, and Urso would come into score on a wild pitch. After an Irigoyen walk, Villegas would come around to bat again in the inning and single to right center to bring home Woodburn. End 3 | 12-0 Tampa
• Joe Stella led off the inning with a walk. Lenny Ashby followed with a single to center field. Jake Griffith was then plunked with a pitch to load the bases. A.J. Graham then drew a walk to bring home Stella. Kevin Karstetter then singled to bring home Ashby. Jake Turer then flew out to right field to bring home Griffith. Santiago Garavito drew a walk. With two outs, Matthew Fogel walked to bring home Graham. Stella singled to bring home Karstetter. Ashby was then plunked with a pitch to bring home Garavito. Griffith then doubled down the left field line to bring home Fogel. End 4 | 20-0 Tampa
• Dennis McCaffery led off the inning with a single. Turner followed with a single to center. Garavito then doubled to center field to bring home McCaffery, and Turner would advance to third on the play. After a Drake Harman walk, Fogel singled to center field to bring home Turner and advance everyone 90 feet. Stella then flew out to right field to bring home Garavito. Ashby followed with a single to center field to bring home Harman. After a Griffith single to load the bases, Graham singled to center field to bring home Fogel. McCaffery then grounded out to first to bring home Ashby. End 7 | 26-1 Tampa
• After Ryan Stefiuk picked up his first collegiate hit with a double to left field, later in the inning, he would come into score on a Fogel fly-out to right field. End 8 | 27-1 Tampa

AT THE PLATE: 

• Spartans collected 20 hits in the ballgame.
• Scored 27 runs 3^rd most in program history.
• Griffith: 3-3 & 2 RBIs
• J. Williams: 2 BB's, SB, 3 R's, & RBI
• Saladino: 2 BB's, SB, R, & 2 RBI's
• Villegas: 2-3, R, & RBI
• Ashby: 2-3, 2 R's, & 2 RBI's
  

ON THE MOUND: 

• C.J. Williams started on the mound. He threw 5 scoreless innings, while striking out 6 while giving up 2 earned runs. Williams received the win and improved to 10-2 on the season.
• Eli Thurmond came in relief for Williams. He threw 2 innings while giving up 1 earned run.
• Ethan Brown came in relief for Thurmond. He threw 1 scoreless inning while striking out 2.
• Logan Wash came in relief for Brown. He threw 1 scoreless inning while striking out 2.

UP NEXT: The #1 Spartans will be back tomorrow, April 26^th, as they take on a doubleheader to wrap up their series against Eckerd. Game one will start at 1:00 PM. Game two will begin approximately 45 minutes after the conclusion of game one.