No.2 Tampa Too Much for Red Raiders

TAMPA, Fla. - The Shippensburg Red Raider baseball team struck early and appeared well on their way to an upset win, but No.2-ranked Tampa pitching settled in and its offense banged out 15 hits in a 14-8 win in a nine-inning contest at Tampa Friday evening.

Shippensburg (3-9) pushed six runs across the board in the top of the first inning, using a two run doubles from seniors Scott Goss (Johnstown/Westmont Hilltop) and Eric Perlozzo (Cumberland, Md./Bishop Walsh) and an RBI double from sophomore Jason Kelly (Harrisburg/Central Dauphin).

However, Tampa (19-3), the defending NCAA Division II National Champion, tagged Ship senior starter Stephen Slatcoff (Windber/Windber) for six runs on five hits, ending his day before the first inning was complete. Sophomore Andrew Burke (Fayetteville/Chambersburg) came on to retire the last out of the opening frame.

Tampa, though, continued its offensive onslaught, breaking the 6-6 tie with a run in the second on a Jose Jimenez solo homer, and the Spartans added one more in the third on a Troy Ferguson homer to build the lead to 8-6.

Tampa tacked on two more to push the lead to 10-6 before Ship cut the lead with an RBI single from junior Eric Dezell (Bel Air, Md./John Carroll) in the fifth. Dezell struck again in the seventh with another RBI single, cutting the lead to two runs, but that would be as close as the Red Raiders would get, as Tampa plated four runs in the bottom of the inning to put the game out of reach.

In relief, Burke tossed 6.2 innings and allowed seven runs, six earned while striking out five. Senior Brian Boylan (Tannersville/Pocono Mountain) also threw two-thirds of inning and gave up one run on five hits.

Tampa starter Ross Jackson improved to 4-1 on the season despite his early troubles. He finished the outing pitching five innings and seven runs, four of which were earned.

At the plate, Shippensburg was led by Kelly's 3-for-4 performance. Goss added two runs scored to go with his RBI double and junior Justin Garber (Elizabethtown/Elizabethtown) chipped in two hits.

The loss was Ship's sixth-straight, marking the longest skid since dropping eight in a row from March 4-13 last season.

The Red Raiders stay in Tampa for a doubleheader Saturday afternoon. Game one is scheduled for 1 p.m.

- Red Raider Baseball -