Florida Gulf Coast Downs Sloppy Tampa

Box score

TAMPA, Fla. - The #2 University of Tampa didn't have their best game defensively as they fell to the #24 Florida Gulf Coast Eagles by the score of 10-4.

The Eagles of Florida Gulf Coast were the first to get on the scoreboard with four runs in the second inning. The Spartans committed two errors in aiding the Eagles. Vinnie Scarduzio, Casey Coleman and Paul Fibbe each had RBI hits to give the Eagles an early lead.

A third Spartan error in the fifth was responsible for Florida Gulf Coast's fifth run of the game. Ozzie Borrell crossed the plate on the error by the third baseman off the bat of Derek Mollica.

The Spartans got themselves on the board in their half of the fifth with three two-out runs. Nolan Brannon came around to score on Ryan Kennedy's single through the left side. The next batter was Craig Corrado reached on a high chopper to third that allowed Junior Mejia to score. The third and final run of the inning came on Jose Jimenez's sharp single up the middle that sent Kennedy across the plate and closed FGCU's lead to 5-3.

The Eagles got a run back in the sixth as Chris Alessandria doubled down the left field line driving in Paul Fibbe, as the visitors pushed their lead to three runs.

Brannon picked up an RBI in the sixth with a single to left, driving in Rosenbaum and once again bringing Tampa within two.

Gulf Coast responded in the seventh, putting up four more runs, two of which were unearned as the Spartans committed their fifth error of the evening.

Ross Jackson fell victim to the Spartan errors and saw his record drop to 4-3 on the season. Richard Bleier improved his record to 4-1 with his performance.

Tampa and Florida Gulf Coast finish their three game set with a double header tomorrow at The University of Tampa Baseball Stadium with game time set at 1:00 pm.