The Spartan Baseball team kicked off their 2013 season last weekend with a three-game series at home against Bentley University.
The Spartans, ranked No. 4 in the nation according to pre-season polls, bagged two out of three wins in an offensively slow-starting, yet very impressive series over all.
The series began Friday night as the Spartans fell 5-3 in front of a packed-house crowd graced by former Major Leaguer and Spartan legend, Tino Martinez.
It took until the fifth inning for either team to break the 0-0 deadlock after Spartan shortstop Jacob Tillotson singled home his first RBI of the season. Though UT held the lead until the late innings, Bentley would not be denied. Coach Joe Urso remarked on the slow Spartan bats.
“It might have been a little of the opening day jitters,” said Urso. “But some players put a lot more pressure on themselves. Either way I expected a little more from our hitters at-bat to at-bat.”
Game two of the series was the first Spartan Baseball win of the season, 6-0 over Bentley. The win was highlighted by warming bats and most of all by the efforts of pitchers Eric Luksis and Mike Adams who combined for only the fourth one-hitter in UT baseball history.
Luksis, a transfer senior, started the game and threw six shutout innings, allowing just one hit in his final inning on the mound.
Following Luksis’ example, Adams finished the final three innings in strong fashion saving the game, shutout and one-hitter. Luksis embraced his emotions during the game.
“Everything was working for me, all three pitches,” Luksis said. “It was just good to get back out there—very emotional.” Luksis also remarked on the possibility of a no-hitter, “I had thrown two before, but it would have been nice to get one on the collegiate level,” he said.
Coach Urso was pleased on Luksis’ and Adams’ efforts in establishing tempo.
“It’s easy and fun to play baseball when there’s a good tempo going for your team,” said the coach.
Senior first baseman Jake Schrader remarked on the pitchers’ efforts as well.
“As hitters, we were just trying to keep the momentum up,” Schrader said. “In terms of defense, they made it easier to stay focused with the solid tempo they had.”
Senior pitcher Aaron Gerbase’s thoughts echoed those of Urso and Schrader.
“That’s what we preach—first pitch strikes and tempo,” Gerbase said.
Tampa finished their season-opening series with a 13-0 pounding of the visiting Bentley Falcons. The Spartan hitters combined for 17 hits including three from infielder Sean O’Brien. Meanwhile, the pitching staff conceded only six hits in the shutout victory.
Though not satisfied with just two of three wins, the Spartans agree the series was a solid way to start the season. Not as solid as last year’s opening weekend sweep of Bentley by a combined score of 17-1, but solid nonetheless.
“I thought the team really responded well to an opening day loss,” said Gerbasi.
“We were hoping for the sweep,” said Coach Urso on the series. “But I feel like we have a lot of options around the field with our position players, and that’s true for pitchers as well.”
The Spartan Baseball team’s next series will begin Friday at 2 p.m. with a double header against Georgia College in a continuation of the Spartans’ homestand.