Tampa Starts Spring Break With Win Over Northern Kentucky

Box score

TAMPA, Fla. - The #1 University of Tampa baseball team (17-3) used a big five-run fifth inning on its way to a 7-5 victory over the Norse from Northern Kentucky (1-9).

Jose Jimenez started spring break with a bang for the Spartans as he connected on a first inning two-run homerun to right field. Ryan Kennedy had previously walked and Tampa jumped to the 2-0 lead. The homerun was Jimenez' sixth of the season.

Northern Kentucky answered back their next time to the plate. Chris Nann and Evan McDole led off the inning with singles while Larry Pempek walked to load the bases. After Patrick Muth drew a walk to score the first Norse run of the game, Jake Shaffer hit a ball up the middle, off pitcher Anthony Perez's glove, driving in two runs and giving NKU a 3-2 lead.

Tampa's bats finally awoke in the fifth inning. Junior Mejia was the first to reach base with a bunt single. He was the first of six straight Spartans to reach base. Roberto Mena had a big two-run double and Jimenez drove in the lead changing run. Kennedy and Chris Rosenbaum also added RBI's on the way to the five run inning and a 7-3 lead.

Northern Kentucky pulled within two runs in the top of the seventh with on a two-run homerun off the bat of McDole.

Anthony Perez threw five innings and struck out six batters on his way to his third win of the season against no losses. Jonthan Holt pitched the ninth for his 10th save of the season. Josh Bruns took the loss for Northern Kentucky.

Tampa faces St. Anselm tomorrow at the University of Tampa Baseball Stadium at 1:00 pm.