Six-Run Eighth Leads No. 7 Tampa to 10-2 Victory Over Shippensburg
Mar. 13, 2008
TAMPA, Fla. - Rick Hudson led three Spartan pitchers who combined for eight strikeouts while allowing just five hits and one earned run as No. 7 Tampa handed Shippensburg a 10-2 loss Thursday afternoon at UT Baseball Field.
Meanwhile, the Spartans (17-4-1) scored 10 or more runs for the eighth time this season as they pounded out 14 hits in winning their fourth-straight. Tampa, who is averaging nearly eight runs per game this season, has gone unbeaten in 10 of its last 12 games.
Rick Hudson picked up his first victory of the season in relief for the Spartans, holding Shippensburg scoreless over 4.1 innings while allowing only two hits and striking out three.
Tampa starter Danny Keefe surrendered two, first inning runs on two hits, but allowed just one hit over his final two-and-two-third innings before being relieved by Hudson with two outs in the fourth.
For the second-straight day, Shippensburg (9-9) took a 2-0 lead after the top of the first following an RBI-double by sophomore Kevin Scholly (State College/State College) and an unearned run by junior Tyler Redick (Fairfield/Walkersville (Md.)) after sophomore Rick Shumway (Shippensburg/Shippensburg) reached on a throwing error.
In the Red Raiders' 6-5 loss at Tampa on Wednesday, Scholly and Shumway each had RBI hits to give the team a two-run lead after one.
However, the Spartans would tie the game in the bottom of the first on RBI singles by Nolan Brannon and Ryan Williams against junior Thomas Ashman (Mohrsville/Schuylkill Valley).
In the second, Tampa's Paul Cruz doubled to left center to give the Spartans the lead for good, 3-2.
Trailing by one in the fourth, Shippensburg had the tying run on third with two outs after junior Sean Killian (Columbia/Hempfield) drew a two-out walk and then advanced to third on a wild pitch and passed ball. However, Hudson came in for Keefe and needed just three pitches to get senior Justin Garber (Elizabethtown/Elizabethtown) to ground out to third and end the threat.
The combination of Hudson and Pat House held the Red Raiders to just two hits over the final five innings while the Tampa offense erupted for six runs in the bottom of the eighth against freshman Alex Hartman (Harrisburg/Central Dauphin) to blow open a two-run game into an eight-run margin headed into the final inning.
Scholly finished the game 2-for-4 with one RBI. Over his last eight games, Scholly has had at least one hit in seven while batting .444 and totaling 12 hits and eight RBIs.
Shippensburg is scheduled to make its home debut with a doubleheader against Bloomsburg on Saturday at Fairchild Field with first pitch set for 1:00 p.m.
- Red Raider
Baseball -
