Stipp's Complete Game Helps Send Tampa To CWS Semi-Final

Cary, N.C. - The University of Tampa's Baseball program took the field this afternoon for an elimination game at the Division ll College World Series against Texas-Tyler. 

Final: #1 University of Tampa Spartans 8, #4 University of Texas at Tyler Patriots 1

Records: Tampa (51-9), Texas-Tyler (49-13)

Location: USA Baseball Training Complex l Cary, North Carolina 

All-Time Series: This was the first ever meeting between these two programs. With the win, Tampa takes a 1-0 lead in the all-time series. 

HOW IT HAPPENED:

In this win or go home contest, the Spartans turned to southpaw Jake Stipp on the mound. In his first inning of work, Stipp tossed a perfect 1-2-3 top of the first while picking up his first strikeout in the process. At the plate for Tampa, J.D. Urso earned the first hit of the game with a single to center but was stranded on the bases. After a scoreless first, Texas-Tyler used back-to-back hits to score the contest's first run in the top of the second. Stipp added two more strikeouts to his line on the rubber but the Patriots took a 1-0 lead. In response to Tyler taking the early lead, Edgardo Villegas led off the inning with a triple off the right center wall. Villegas scored a batter later when Kevin Karstetter drove him in with a productive out to tie the game. With the game tied 1-1 entering the third inning, both starting pitchers and defenses started to dominate. Over the middle innings, Jake Stipp did not allow a base runner, totaling 15 retired batters in a row after the Patriots RBI double in the second. Despite the scoreless frames from Stipp (aided by great defense), the Patriots matched it. Outside of an infield hit by Maddox King in the bottom of the third, the Tampa offense was held without another base runner. As the game transitioned into the seventh inning still tied 1-1, Texas-Tyler broke their base runner drought with a one out single. However, that was all Stipp allowed as he struck out the next batter before inducing a routine groundout to end the inning. The Spartans also broke their baserunner streak with a leadoff double from Brayden Woodburn to spark a rally. A wild pitch advanced Woodburn to third where he scored a pitch later on a Edgardo Villegas base hit up the middle. It took two batters for Tampa to take the lead in the bottom of the seventh but they were not done yet. Jhoander Irigoyen pushed the Tampa lead to 3-1 with a base hit past the second baseman and the next batter Kevin Karstetter reached base on an infield hit. Texas-Tyler collected two outs but the Spartans had the bases loaded for the heart of the order. Nico Saladino put together an eight pitch at-bat to earn a RBI Walk then J.D. Urso drove in two runs with a single. Brayden Woodburn walked to re-load for Edgardo Villegas who in his second at-bat of the inning produced a two RBI single to right center. The Spartans put up seven runs in the bottom of the seventh to take a 8-1 lead into the final two innings. In the top of the eighth, Jake Stipp continued to be spectacular as he sat down the Patriots in order. In the ninth inning, Stipp punched out two more batters to earn his first career complete game. Behind a late inning seven spot and domination from Jake Stipp on the mound, Tampa's quest to defend their national title continues. 

AT THE PLATE:

•  Edgardo Villegas - 2-4 3B, 3 RBI

• J.D. Urso - 2-4, 2 RBI

• Kevin Karstetter - 2 RBI

ON THE MOUND:

• Jake Stipp - 9.0 IP, 4 H, 7 SO, 1 ER - 95 pitch complete game 

UP NEXT: The Spartans have advanced to the national semi-final round at the Division ll College World Series. Tampa will face Northwest Nazarene in a rematch with a chance to punch to their ticket to the championship round. Having picked up one loss already in the tournament, the Spartans will have to beat Nazarene twice. The first game of this highly anticipated matchup will take place tomorrow night (6/4/25) at 6:00pm. Should Tampa win, game two between these two programs will take place on June 5th.