Tampa Falls Short in Huge Comeback Bid

Box score

TAMPA, Fla. - The top-ranked Tampa Spartans (3-1) are officially never out of a game after being down eight runs to #2 Georgia College in the seventh inning. But after tying the game at 10 the Spartans dropped their first game of the season 12-10 due to late inning heroics by GCSU's Justin Mills.

John Wiedenbauer, making his first collegiate start, had little trouble with the Bobcats in the first, after giving up a lead-off single to Mills. The lefty with a superb pick-off move, caught Mills trying to steal, then retired two of the next three batters to end the half inning.

Tampa came into this season set on being aggressive on the bases and they were in the first, albeit unsuccessfully. Troy Ferguson led of with a single, then was caught stealing, and Ryan Kennedy hit a ball down the right field line and was trying to leg out a double, but Mills made a perfect throw to second, robbing Kennedy of an extra base hit.

Wiedenbauer, after giving up a walk and double in the second, was able to get himself out of the jam, inducing a weak groundout and relying on a nice ground covering grab by Junior Mejia.

The Spartans stranded two runners in their half of the second and paid for it in the third. Georgia College started the inning with a man on second after a throwing error by third baseman Craig Corrado. With one out Bryan Shaughnessy drove an offering from Wiedenbauer over the right field fence, giving the Bobcats a 2-0 advantage. Two batters later Daniel Heflin hit a solo shot to right and Georgia College led 3-0 heading into the bottom of the fourth.

Tampa hit into momentum killing double plays in the each the third and the fourth innings and were unable to plate any runs.

Ross Jackson came into the game to pitch in the fourth and set the Bobcats down in order. In the fifth he got himself into a trouble by walking three of the first four batters he faced, but struck out the last two batters of the inning to get out of the jam.

The Spartans were able to erase the zero on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth when Nolan Brannon singled to left field with two outs, followed by a Bobcat error that allowed Ferguson to reach and Brannon to score. Ryan Kennedy then hit a hard grounder through the right side, scoring Mejia. After five, Tampa trailed 3-2.

The top of the sixth may have been the only scar so far this young season for the Spartans. Georgia College saw five base runners cross the plate as they batted around the order and never recorded a hit. Two Tampa errors and five walks, three with the bases loaded, led to three runs being unearned.

The Bobcats added to their lead in the seventh with two more runs, as Mills continued to swing a hot bat with a double, and later scored on Hans Stancil's sacrifice fly that was dropped in right by Paul Cruz, allowing Stancil to advance to third. Shaughnessy laced a single into center for an RBI and GCSU was cruising into the bottom of the seventh with a 10-2 lead.

Yesterday, in the first game of the double-header, the Spartans found themselves down by seven, and found a way to win. But down by eight in the seventh inning might be too much to ask for.

The Bobcats may have appeared to have put the game out of reach, but Tampa, just like it did yesterday, mounted a comeback. The Spartans sent 12 runners to the plate, scored all eight runs necessary to tie the game on five hits and two Georgia College errors.

Brannon led the seventh off with a walk and later in the inning came up with two outs and delivered a double down the right field line, driving in two runs. Mejia's two RBI single finally knotted the game at 10. Ferguson, Kennedy and Corrado all had RBI hits in the inning as well.

After making an amazing diving catch in foul territory down the right field line, Mills came to bat with a runner on in the top of the ninth and delivered a crushing blow to Tampa's chances of victory with a homerun that found it's way inside the right foul pole. Giving the Bobcats a final 12-10 lead.

Jonathan Holt (0-1) suffered the loss for Tampa and Matt Howard (1-0) was awarded the victory. Offensively the Spartans were led by Brannon who delivered clutch hits as well as two RBI, three runs and two base on balls.

Tampa will next host Catawba Friday at 7:00 pm at The University of Tampa Baseball Field.