Fikar Takes The Cake With Dominant Two-Way Play in Series Opener
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 7 | 1 |
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1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 14 | 3 |
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The No. 3 University of Tampa baseball team opened its Sunshine State Conference series at Embry‑Riddle with a hard‑fought 10–9 victory Friday night at Sliwa Stadium.
The Spartans improved to 24–4 overall and 10–0 in SSC play, overcoming a seven‑run rally by the Eagles before reclaiming the lead with a decisive four‑run seventh inning. Tampa received key swings throughout the lineup and strong late pitching to secure the series‑opening road win.
How It Happened
Tampa struck first in the opening inning when Gunnett Carlson singled home Brayden Woodburn, but Embry‑Riddle answered in the bottom half to tie the game at 1–1. The Spartans regained the lead in the third as Carlson launched a solo home run to right field, giving Tampa a 2–1 advantage.
The Spartans built momentum in the fourth with a four‑run frame. After a pair of walks, Luke Fikar reached on a bunt that turned into extra bases, allowing two runs to score. Jesse Ponce followed with an RBI triple, and Jack Martinez grounded out to drive in another run, stretching Tampa's lead to 6–1.
Embry‑Riddle responded in the fifth and sixth innings with a powerful surge, scoring seven runs on multiple extra‑base hits, including a two‑RBI double from Cole Bullen and a two‑run homer from Aidan Corn, swinging the lead to the Eagles at 8–6.
Tampa answered immediately in the seventh. With runners aboard, Luke Fikar delivered a three‑run triple to right field, flipping the score back in the Spartans' favor. An additional run crossed the plate on an Embry‑Riddle error, pushing the lead to 10–8. The Eagles added one run in the bottom of the seventh, but Tampa's pitching staff closed the door from there to preserve the win.
Top Performers
- Luke Fikar (W, 1–0): 1‑for‑4, 3 RBI, triple; 3.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO — came through with the go‑ahead three‑run triple and earned the win with three strong innings in relief.
- Gunnett Carlson: 2‑for‑3, 2 RBI, HR, walk — drove in Tampa's first run and homered in the third inning.
- Jesse Ponce: 2‑for‑4, RBI, triple, run — ignited the Spartans' fourth‑inning rally.
- Brayden Woodburn: 1‑for‑4, 2 runs, walk, stolen base — scored twice and applied constant pressure on the bases.
- Jack Martinez: 0‑for‑4, RBI — delivered a key run during Tampa's four‑run fourth inning.
- Walker Vanecek: Reached base twice and scored during the fourth‑inning surge.
- Robert Satin: 6.0 IP, 11 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 1 BB, 6 SO — battled through traffic early to keep Tampa within reach before the late comeback.
Up Next
The Sunshine State Conference series continues Saturday, with the doubleheader now scheduled to begin at 11:00 a.m. at Sliwa Stadium in Daytona Beach, Fla., with the start time moved up due to a potential weather threat.