University of North Florida
UNIVERSITY OF TAMPA
Tampa's hot bats down No. 2 Ospreys
5/13/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 13, 2005
The No. 23-ranked Tampa Spartans pounded out 13 hits against Osprey pitching on their way to an 11-8 win over No. 2-ranked University of North Florida Friday night at Harmon Stadium.
The Spartans (37-16) jumped out to an early lead on the Ospreys (41-13) when first baseman Chris Ignaut homered over the center field wall to give Tampa a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning. The Spartans added to their lead in the third inning when Brad Chamberlain scored on a fielder's choice to put his squad on top 2-0.
The Ospreys' bats woke up in the fourth inning, however. Senior right fielder Sadry Cafe got things started for UNF with a single up the middle. Following a Josh Howard walk, Kevin Johnson singled to left field to move Café to third and Howard to second base. James Belyea then reached on a fielder's choice, while Café scored on a throwing error by the Tampa short stop to cut the Tampa lead to 2-1. Mike Fryrear delivered the biggest blow of the inning when the UNF second baseman tripled to left-center field plating three Ospreys and giving UNF its first lead of the game, 4-2.
Fryrear scored UNF's final run of the inning on a wild pitch to give the Ospreys a 5-2 lead heading into the top of the fifth inning.
Tampa added one run in its half of the fifth inning before exploding for six runs in the top of the sixth inning.
The Spartans tallied four singles and a pair of walks before the Ospreys were able to record an out in the sixth. In all, Tampa pounded out five hits in the inning to take a 9-5 lead into the bottom of the sixth.
UNF added its final three runs of the game in the bottom of the seventh inning when senior first baseman Marion Knowles drove the ball over the center-field fence for his 17th home run of the season. Knowles blast drew the Ospreys to within two runs of the Spartans, 9-7.
After a Damon Olinto walk, Brandon Diaz doubled down the left-field line plating Olinto and closing out the scoring for the home-standing Ospreys.
Tampa tacked on two more runs in the top of the ninth to take the 11-8 win.
Aaron Cook (7-0) earned the win for Tampa, while Travis Martin (1-1) suffered the loss for UNF.
Junior Brennan Grogan and Knowles each collected two hits in five trips to the plate for UNF, while Johnson went 2-for-3 on the night with a run scored.
UNF and Tampa will square off on Saturday in what will be the final regular-season game of the year for both squads. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. at Harmon Stadium.
The game can be heard live via the World Wide Web at www.unfospreys.com.
