B.J. Bailey delivers a pitch in Game 2 of the series against Lynn. Photo courtesy of Jeremy Fishman.
After losing their midweek game, the Spartans bounced back to improve their record to 14-1.
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By Jeremy Fishman
BOCA RATON, Fla. — Over the weekend, the University of Tampa baseball team swept Lynn University. Following their Tuesday loss to Savannah State, the Spartans capitalized on strong starting pitching performances and timely hitting.
The Fighting Knights entered the weekend with an 8-6 record and had yet to play a game against a Sunshine State Conference (SSC) opponent. In game one, they faced Robert Satin, junior starting pitcher, who had not allowed an earned run in 19 innings.
Both teams were scoreless after the first inning, but the Spartans strung together three consecutive singles to take a 1-0 lead in the top of the second. Two innings later, Tampa drew back-to-back walks before a bunt single loaded the bases. Jack Martinez, junior third baseman, hit a sacrifice fly, scoring a run to make it 2-0.
In the top of the seventh inning, senior right fielder Jake Books came to the plate with two runners on. He singled up the middle to drive in a run before senior catcher Jhoander Irigoyen hit a sacrifice fly. In the bottom half, Lynn hit two consecutive singles off Satin before a sacrifice bunt, moving the runners to second and third, ending Satin’s day.
Head coach Joe Urso handed the ball to junior right-hander Sammy Beir to work out of the jam. He struck out both batters to end the inning and hopped off the mound in celebration.
“I got super pumped up afterward,” Beir said. “You just got to go in with confidence, and I was feeling good.”
Beir stayed in the game for the final two innings as the Spartans cruised to a 6-0 victory after adding two more runs in the top of the ninth. Satin earned his fifth win of the season in as many starts.
“I was just trying to put up the zeros that I’ve been doing and get my team back in the dugout,” Satin said.
Graduate starting pitcher B.J. Bailey took the ball in game two of the series. He and Lynn starter Ryan DiMaggio tossed a scoreless first inning. In the second, Tampa loaded the bases for junior left fielder Javi Soto. He hit a sacrifice fly, and Martinez followed with an RBI single to give the Spartans an early 2-0 lead.
Both offenses stayed quiet until the top of the fifth. After a quick out, senior center fielder Jordan Evans and junior shortstop Jesse Ponce walked and stole bases. In a three-ball count, senior second baseman Brayden Woodburn drew ball four on a wild pitch that reached the backstop, allowing Evans to score from third.
Following a pitching change, Irigoyen hit an RBI double before junior first baseman Walker Vanecek doubled in two more runs. Senior designated hitter Gunnett Carlson joined in with a single up the middle, scoring two more. Soto doubled, setting up a Martinez sacrifice fly to put the cap on a seven-run inning.
Both teams added one run in the sixth, and the inning concluded Bailey’s outing. He allowed four hits while striking out five. Bailey credited both Irigoyen and Drew Kennedy, the catchers he threw to, along with coach Sam Militello’s pitch calling, for his success.
Martinez homered in the seventh, and Kennedy scored on a passed ball in the eighth. In the bottom half, the Fighting Knights plated five runs on three hits. They added two more runs in the ninth, but the comeback fell short after junior infielder and pitcher Luke Fikar faced one batter and induced a ground ball. The Spartans won 12-8.
“I think it’s very important because we have games coming up and we got to save arms,” said Fikar about his short appearance. “We get in there, shut the door, then we have other arms available for the following days.”
Lightning and rain postponed game three of the series to Sunday, and a rain delay pushed the start time back more than an hour. Tampa went three up, three down to start the game, and Lynn scored an early run off senior starting pitcher John Luke Glanton. In the top of the third, Soto scored on a passed ball to tie the game. However, Bryant Zayas led off the bottom half with a homer, giving Lynn a 2-1 lead.
Vanecek doubled in the fourth and advanced to third on a groundout. With two outs, Carlson hit an RBI single before Soto smashed a two-run homer. Martinez, Fikar, and Evans hit three consecutive singles, plating one more during the four-run inning.
Jake Books added an insurance run on a homer in the top of the fifth. In the bottom half, Zayas singled, and junior center fielder Scout Simpson hit a two-run home run to close the gap. In the sixth, Urso gave the ball to Beir for the second time in the series. Lynn hit two singles before Zayas hit a sacrifice fly to right field, bringing the game within one run.
Woodburn led off the next frame with a single. Irigoyen, who was 0-for-3 to that point, and Vanecek hit back-to-back homers. Two batters later, Carlson decided to join in, launching the Spartans’ fifth home run of the game. Tampa loaded the bases, and Evans hit a sacrifice fly to left field to push the run total to 11.
Junior left-handed pitcher Josiah Velazquez relieved Beir but allowed one run in the inning. Neither team scored in the eighth or ninth, and the Spartans completed the weekend sweep.
Irigoyen, who caught all three games, said the team kept their routine to stay sharp and locked in. He emphasized the importance of talking with his pitchers during the rain delays to keep them focused.
“We need to reset and then have a good mindset to go out and just keep going, keep fighting for the W,” Irigoyen said.
The Spartans play their next game on Tuesday at Valdosta State.