In their second series of the year, the Spartans will face a Tribe out for revenge.

The defending National Champions will play North Carolina’s Catawba College Indians on Feb. 9-11. It was the Spartans who ended the Tribes’ record-breaking season, defeating them 15-5 in the 2006 South Region Tournament Championship Game to advance to the College World Series they would later win. In that game, Catawba took the early lead due to two Spartan errors, but Tampa came back and added five runs in the ninth to secure the victory.

This year’s game will kick off at the new Sam Bailey Field on Feb. 9 at 7 p.m.

Key Players (2006 Statistics)

Catawba

Zach Evans: Infielder-Pitcher, 27 Appearances, 1.88 ERA, 50 strikeouts, seven saves (third in the SAC)

Paul Link: Pitcher, 11 starts, 4-2, 4.64 ERA. He allowed zero runs and five hits with seven strikeouts in the Indians’ win over St. Augustine’s.

Brian Sommer: Senior, Catcher, played in 26 games and started two. He had two hits and two RBI in a win over St. Augustine’s and hit .417 with runners in scoring position and .333 with runners on base.

Head Coach Jim Gantt was named the 2006 South Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year after leading the tribe to a school record 47-14 record. Catawba won both the SAC regular season and tournament titles.

Key Losses

Jimbo Davis: .317, 64 hits, 17 homeruns, 70 RBI

Aarin Rimer: .299, 59 hits, 13 homeruns, 61 RBI

Tampa

Jose Jimenez: 17 home runs, 63 RBI

Troy Ferguson: .401 batting average, 21 stolen bases

Ross Jackson: 11-0, 3.21 ERA, 103.2 innings pitched

Johnny Williams: 7-1, 11 starts, 51.1 innings pitched