No. 1 Tampa Falls to Cedarville in Midweek Contest, 8-4
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
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1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 0 |
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0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 3 |
TAMPA, Fla. - The No. 1 ranked University of Tampa Spartans baseball team (14-2) fell to the visiting Cedarville University Yellow Jackets (4-3) by an 8-4 score, Wednesday night from UT Baseball Field. The defeat snaps a six-game win streak and marks Tampa's second less off the year.
Unlike most games against the Spartans this year, the visiting team scored in each at bat until the sixth inning, forcing the Spartans to trail by as much as seven.
Cedarville jumped on the scoreboard in the first, taking a 1-0 lead before extending the lead to 3-0 in the second and 6-0 in the third. In the top of the fourth, the Yellow Jackets picked up another run to take a 7-0 lead, but in the bottom of the inning, top-ranked Tampa was able to plate a run on a solo homerun from senior Stephen Dezzi.
The visiting team responded in the top of the fifth inning to pick up another run, but Tampa forced an offensive rally in their respective at-bat to score three runs and bring the score to 8-4. Joe Walsh, Casey Scoggins, and Brett Jones each crossed the plate in the inning.
Still trailing by four, the Spartans threatened in the bottom of the seventh with bases loaded and no outs, but weren't able to capitalize on the offensive opportunities.
After four scoreless innings, the Yellow Jackets took home an 8-4 victory over the nation's top team.
Junior lefty Kevin Martin started on the mound for the Spartans, tossing 2.1 innings in which he allowed five hits and four walks. The defeat brings Martin's record to 1-1 on the year.
Junior Chris Frosch took the mound in the third for relief duties, throwing 1.2 innings and allowing just two walks in the outing. Righty Conner Andrews appeared on the mound for the Spartans for the next three innings, striking out three and permitting just one Cedarville run.
Zac Farve and Taylor Brookes rounded out the pitching effort for Tampa in the loss, combining for two innings pitched and striking out two Cedarville batters.
Cedarville's RHP Sean Larkin earned the victory for the Yellow Jackets on Wednesday night, throwing six complete innings and allowing four Spartans hits. The senior struck out five in the effort and improved to 1-0 on the season.
After Larkin departed the mound, Yellow Jacket reliever Tyler Hurt tossed two innings, allowing one Spartans run and walking four. Sophomore righty Connor Hamilton closed out the ninth for the Yellow Jackets, striking out one and earning his second save of the year.
Tampa's Scoggins, Brett Jones, Stephen Dezzi, Nick Flair, Ian Townsend, and Ty Cooler each recorded a hit in the outing.
The No. 1 Tampa Spartans will kick off Sunshine State Conference play this weekend when they travel to Miami Shores, Fla. to take on the Barry Buccaneers. The series will feature a single game played on Friday night at 6 p.m., followed by a Saturday doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. Live stats as well as a live video webcast will be available through www.tampaspartans.tv.
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