Tampa Becomes South Region Champions In Impressive Offensive Fashion
TAMPA, Fla. - The University of Tampa (46-9) baseball team won its 14th NCAA South Regional and fourth in the previous five years with a 20-3 victory over Southern Arkansas University (47-10) in the deciding game of the tourney. SAU forced the title game with a 10-7 win in the first game of the day.
Catcher Mike Blanke grabbed most valuable player honors for the tournament with a grand slam in the second game that put the Spartans up by a 7-2 score. Larry Walicki would later add a grand slam as UT would tie an NCAA record with two grand slams in a postseason game.
Heading into Monday's play at the UT Baseball Field, the Spartans needed just one victory to win the regional crown. The Muleriders displayed its might while grabbing a 7-1 lead in the first game of the day.
The Spartans kept the game close, scoring four runs in the sixth inning to cut the margin to 7-5. SAU would pull away with a run in the bottom of the sixth and a pair in the seventh.
Brad Roberts hit a three-run home run to pace the Spartan offense as Correy Figueroa was 3-for-5 at the plate. Jared Simon and Blanke each added a pair of hits as Blanke also drove in a pair of runs. Josh Bowman (8-4) started for the Spartans and threw 3.0 innings.
Tampa was matched up against SAU ace and Tino Martinez Award Finalist Hayden Simpson in the deciding game. Spartan starter A.J. Pinera proved up to the task with 6.0 strong innings as he improved his record to 8-1.
Each team scored a run in the first inning as SAU crossed another in the second to claim a 2-1 advantage. UT knotted the game at 2-2 in the third as the Mulerider ace departed after four innings of work. Simpson notched eight strikeouts in 4.0 innings as he was pitching on three days rest after defeating Florida Southern on Friday.
The Spartans broke the game wide open with five runs in the fifth inning as Figueroa started the rally with a leadoff single and stolen base. Following walks to Patrick Donahue, Mike Schwartz and Jared Simon along with a run scoring wild pitch, Blanke gave his team the ultimate momentum with a grand slam that landing in the left-center field netting.
The explosive Spartan offense added eight runs in the sixth inning and five in the eighth to add to the runaway victory.
Tampa had five players with three hits apiece, including Figueroa, Donahue, Schwartz, Simon and Blanke. The tournament MVP, Blanke finished with five RBI as Walicki added four with his eighth inning grand slam as a pinch hitter.
The Spartans led all teams with six players on the all-tournament team. Joining Blanke on the team were Roberts, Figueroa, Simon, Brown and Pinera.
Evan Stobbs earned his 10th save of the season with 3.0 innings of relief to finish the game. The junior all-South Region performer had two strikeouts while allowing just one hit.
The Spartans will now be one of eight teams heading to Cary, N.C., for the 2010 NCAA Division II Baseball Finals. UT will meet the champions of the South Central Region on Saturday at 1 p.m. The finals will conclude on May 29.
2010 NCAA II Baseball South Regional All-Tournament
Team
Catcher - Mike Blanke, Tampa (MVP)
First Base - Brad Roberts, Tampa
Second Base - Correy Figueroa, Tampa
Third Base - Cannon Lester, Southern Arkansas
Shortstop - Andrew Whittington, Southern Arkansas
Outfield - Jared Simon, Tampa
Outfield - Dylan Brown, Tampa
Outfield - Trae Gore, Florida Southern
Designated Hitter - Scott Chase, Rollins
Pitcher - Hayden Simpson, Southern Arkansas
Pitcher - A.J. Pinera, Tampa
Pitcher - Max Russell, Florida Southern