Rollins baseball has record loss

A bad start to conference play got worse for the Rollins Tars as they fell 16-4 in a blowout on the baseball diamond at the hands of the No. 3 Tampa Spartans (24-4, 7-2) March 24. The loss handed the Tars (14-12, 1-5) their second straight blowout loss in Sunshine State Conference play, and their fifth loss in six conference games.

The Tars couldn’t seem to stop the Spartans’ red-hot bats, as they lit up Rollins pitching for a combined 37 runs in the three-game series. Meanwhile the Tars struggled at the plate, only generating 8 total runs in response.

But even that series may not score a blip in the annals of Rollins history compared to the 38-4 dismantling they suffered at the hands of Lynn University (20-9, 5-1) in just one game on March 15. In possibly the most lopsided comeback suffered in team history, the Tars led the game 3-0 before the bottom of the second when the Fighting Knights scored seven runs to retake the lead before lighting up the scoreboard like it was a basketball game.

The landslide loss resembled more of a comedy of errors as the Tars allowed 38 runs on 29 hits, with Tars pitching causing more hit batsmen than the Tars had runs. In four of the wilder innings in the game starter Brett Mueller and reliever Brett Flutie combined to give up 16 runs, but only four of them were scored as earned runs. Meanwhile of the 15 Fighting Knights players to step into the batter’s box, only one emerged from the game without an RBI under his belt. Four of Lynn’s hitters each had as many or more RBI than all of Rollins combined.

The Tars bounced back the next day, edging Lynn 2-1.

They’ll be looking to bounce back in a bigger way in conference play after a short stop at Flagler Tuesday at press time. They’ll return home to face Eckerd for a three-game series starting at 6 p.m. Thursday before pulling a doubleheader at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Friday. With a trio of wins the Tars could be within a game of breaking even in conference play.

Knights

The Knights had no trouble handling UAB (9-14, 0-3) until the final game of their three-game series, when they fought their way through a 10-10 stalemate to emerge the winners in a 12-10, 10-inning victory March 24.

That win capped off a three-game sweep for the Knights (17-9, 3-0) to start Conference USA play with a bang.

The win was the Knights’ second straight comeback victory, engineered by freshman Bo Decker’s two-run single, followed by a solo shot JoMarcos Woods sent soaring into the afternoon sky and over the right field fence.

Pitching for his first career save, Tyler Martin only needed one inning to close it out.

The Knights come home this weekend for three games, starting with a 6:30 p.m. showdown Thursday against Southern Miss (9-14, 1-2), followed by a 6:30 p.m. game Friday and a 12:30 p.m. game Saturday.