#1 Tampa Remains Perfect with Sweep of Palm Beach Atlantic

Box score

TAMPA, Fla. - The top-ranked University of Tampa baseball team (6-0) continued its stellar start to the 2008 season with a doubleheader sweep of Palm Beach Atlantic University (1-7). Tampa took game one in decisive fashion 16-4, and edged the Sailfish 4-3 in the second game to complete the sweep.

Freshman John Wiedenbauer got the nod in game one for Tampa, and started off the game by striking out the first four batters he faced. He went on to strike out nine Sailfish in his five innings of work, allowing four runs on eight hits to pick up his second career win.

The Spartan offense controlled game one from start to finish, as Jose Jimenez drove in Jesus Barroso with an RBI single in the first for the first run of the game. Tampa then added three more runs in the second inning to make it 4-0, getting an RBI double from Garrett Maines, and a two-run home run from Paul Cruz, his first of the season.

Palm Beach cut the lead in half in the third inning on a two-run single by Mariano Jimenez to close the gap to 4-2. That was as close as the Sailfish got in game one, however, as the Spartan offense broke the game open in the bottom of the third with eight runs on just two hits. Tampa took full advantage of three walks and four hit batters surrendered by Palm Beach in the third to take a commanding 12-2 lead.

The Spartans then added three more runs in the fourth on RBI singles by Nolan Brannon, Jared Simon, and Cruz to put the game out of reach. Casey Albanese added a solo home run in the eighth, his first as a Spartan.

Senior Scott Chapman made his first start of the season in game two, lasting five innings in which he gave up three runs and struck out three. He is now a perfect 2-0 on the season.

The Sailfish got on the board first in game two, scoring one run in the top of the second on an RBI single by Jesse Gibbs. Tampa responded by scoring all four of its runs in the bottom of the inning on a two-run double by Junior Mejia, a wild pitch, and an RBI groundout by Barroso.

Palm Beach added two runs in the top of the third inning to close within one of the Spartans, but could not score again despite out-hitting Tampa 13-6 in the game.

Spartan closer Anthony Perez came at the start of the sixth inning, giving up just one hit and striking out three to shut the door on the Sailfish for his third save of the season.

Jimenez continued his hot hitting from the night before with a 3-5 day with two RBIs, including an RBI single in game one. Cruz had a team-high three RBIs on the day, all in game one. Stephen Merino, Simon, Albanese, Cruz, Maines, and Mejia joined Jimenez with two RBIs of their own.

The Spartans are off until next weekend when they travel to Tuscaloosa, Ala. for a three-game set with Stillman College.