Two Home Runs Help to Lead Spartans to Victory over Wingate

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – The University of Tampa softball team defeated the Wingate Bulldogs behind two homers from the Spartans offense. 

INSIDE THE MATCHUP (Game Two):

Final: Tampa 4, Wingate 3
Records: University of Tampa Spartans (4-3), Wingate University Bulldogs (0-3)
Location: Flagler Sports Complex || St. Augustine, Fla.
All-Time Series: This was the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
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HOW IT HAPPENED:

TOP 1ST | The Bulldogs' Haley Cashwell worked a walk to begin the game. Wingate used back-to-back singles to load the bases. Jordan Floyd hit a soft grounder to second base and the Spartans threw home, however, Cashwell beat the throw to the plate. With the bases-juiced, Rebekah Woods hit a dribbler back to the pitcher, which was bobbled by Corynn Miner, to give the Bulldogs a two-run lead early on. || WU 2, UT 0

BOT 1ST | To lead off the game for UT, Stephanie Balmer reached on a free-pass and advanced to second on a sacrifice from Cristina Clauberg. In the following at-bat, Miner helped her cause with a two-run missile over the scoreboard to even the score. || UT 2, WU 2

BOT 4TH | Maddie Farrell reached on an error by the center-fielder for the initial baserunner in the fourth inning. After battling in a 12-pitch at-bat, Bailey Phillips came out on top with a two-run bomb to put the Spartans ahead by two. || UT 4, WU 2

TOP 5TH | With two outs, the Bulldogs rallied with three-straight hits and ultimately cut the lead in half on an RBI single from Jordan Floyd. || UT 4, WU 3

INSIDE THE STATS:

• Corynn Miner started in the circle for the fourth time this season; the red-shirt junior went a complete game and tied her career-high with 11 strikeouts.
• Bailey Phillips went 2-for-2 at the plate, registering two of the Spartans' three hits. 
• Wingate's Emma Swenson led the game with three hits in four at-bats and scored two of the Bulldogs' three runs. 

BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:

• The Spartans' pitching staff had not eclisped six strikeouts in a game this season, prior to the 11-strikeout performance from Miner.
• Miner logged the Spartans' first home run of the season in the first inning; it was the seventh career homer for the dual-threat right-hander. 
• Phillips followed up with a long-ball of her own in the fourth inning; the junior has hit one homer in each of her first two seasons. 
• Tampa totaled three hits in the game, two of which came via home runs. 
• Four Bulldogs' struckout multiple times, while Wingate left nine runners on base. 
• UT has committed at least one error in every game this season. 

UP NEXT: Tampa will play the final game of the Old Coast Classic tomorrow afternoon against Wingate, first pitch is scheduled for 12:30 p.m.

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