Rollins splits FIT series

The Rollins Tars got the best of No. 23 Florida Tech in the first game of their three-game series on the diamond last weekend. Then Florida Tech (28-13, 12-7) struck back.

The win in game one could largely be placed on starter Anthony Figliolia’s shoulders thanks to his dominating 8.2-inning, five-strikeout performance that resulted in only one earned run on the board. Figliolia nearly went the full nine before surrendering a homerun and putting two on base. Eric Morse stepped in to get a groundout for his second save of the season.

Rollins spread the offense around in its three-run, six-hit effort, with Steve Betcherman leading the team with two hits and an RBI.

The next two games started similarly to the first, with the Tars leading those games, but ended in frustration as they allowed two straight comebacks to bite them and cost them the series.

Starter Taylor Smith struck out nine in the second game in just 5.2 innings, but gave up 10 hits and three runs in the process. Jack Murray pitched two innings of relief but gave up two runs on a single hit and picked up the loss in the process. Murray’s two-inning outing was a bizarre affair in which he faced 11 batters but only was credited with six at bats after giving up a walk, an intentional walk, a wild pitch, two sacrifice flies and a hit batsman. In the end Murray’s two earned runs would be the Tars undoing.

The Tars led the final game for two and a half innings before a dominating performance on the mound by starter Isaiah Sakany turned into an offensive free-for-all by Florida Tech. He went 4.2 innings of four-hit ball before being taken out of the game. The next two pitchers would give up five earned runs before the next four outs. Meanwhile the Tars’ bats stayed quiet, with only four hits and two runs in the game. They didn’t manage a single hit after Florida Tech took the lead.

It was a long weekend in Melbourne, but the Tars (19-17, 6-9) return home for a three-game set against St. Leo (28-12, 8-7) this weekend. The last time they faced the Lions, in a three-game series last April, the Tars lost the first game before sweeping a doubleheader the next day.

The Tars will be looking to right a sinking ship after losing four of their last five games. The series kicks off at 6 p.m. Friday in Alfond Stadium. After that the pair play a doubleheader Saturday, with the first game at 3 p.m. followed by a 6 p.m. series finale. Then the Tars will play three non-conference foes in a tour of New England before heading home to face NSU May 3.