Bid for conference crown hits bit of a snag for UT
By ROD GIPSON
Published April 2, 2004
TAMPA - Thoughts of the University of Tampa baseball team cruising to a Sunshine State Conference title hit a slight bump in the road with the Spartans' three-game slide at Rollins March 19-20.
Not only did UT slip against the second-ranked Tars, the Spartans slid behind Florida Southern in the tight SSC standings.
With a little more than a month left in the regular season, UT sits third in the SSC at 7-5. Rollins and Florida Southern are tied at 8-1.
The Spartans, who were outscored 18-3 in their three losses at Rollins, did not fare better in their next game against Barry. UT opened that series with a 7-3 loss to the Bucs before bouncing back with wins of 3-1 and 5-4.
Now 25-10 and ranked seventh nationally, UT hosts Florida Southern this weekend in a key series. Though it is not listed as a conference game, the rivalry should stay heated when the squads face off in an extra game Monday in Lakeland.
The Spartans have plenty of incentive against the Moccasins this weekend, but could become their fans when Florida Southern and Rollins play a three-game set in Winter Park April 23-24.
Against Barry, UT junior reliever Justin Boza picked up a save and a win. In Game 2 vs. Barry, Boza worked the final one-plus innings of the Spartans' 3-1 win to pick up the save. In the finale, Boza pitched two scoreless innings for the victory.
He allowed two hits and struck out two and worked out of a first-and-third situation with one out in the eighth and stranded the potential go-ahead run, allowing UT to win in the ninth inning. In the series, Boza allowed two hits and one walk in a little more than three innings, while striking out three.
SOFTBALL: Streaks have been all the rage lately. After the Spartans' tough three-game slide against SSC foe Rollins March 19 and 20, UT bounced back with four wins at the Florida Southern Invitational.
The Spartans (23-8) defeated West Georgia 5-1 and 3-0 and followed with 8-5 and 9-1 wins against Albany State. But true to their streaky form, the Spartans dropped their last two games of the tournament, falling to Valdosta State 4-2 and 1-0.
Despite the losses, Devlin Dougherty and Becky Testin had standout pitching performances. In the opener, Dougherty (13-6) threw seven innings, allowed five hits, walked one and had 10 strikeouts. The second contest saw Testin throw a complete game, giving up four hits, walking one and striking out three. The Spartans did not help themselves against VSU, stranding 15 runners in the two games.
UT, 7-5 in conference play and 17th in the NFCA poll, faces SSC-leader Florida Southern in a three-game series today and Saturday in Lakeland.
MEN'S GOLF: Brian Ward, with one of his best performances of the season, tied for 10th to lead the Spartans to an eighth-place team showing at the NSU Unicco Invitational on Saturday and Sunday in Braselton, Ga.
Ward, who was one of four UT golfers to improve each round, opened with a 77 before posting 73 and 72 to finish with 9-over 222. Ward, who tied four others, was 14 shots behind medalist Brad Conner of North Alabama (5-under 208).
The Spartans' Garrett Engel tied for 33rd with rounds of 79-76-75 while Chaney Noyes (T37) and Brian Alberico (62) opened with rounds of 83 and 85, respectively, but rebounded well. Noyes finished with solid rounds of 75 and 73 for a 231 total while Alberico finished with 79 and 75 to finish at 239.
UT competes at the SSC tournament April 12-13 at the Doral Resort and Country Club in Miami.
