Top-Ranked Tampa Explodes For 19 Runs Against Post

TAMPA, Fla. - The No. 1 University of Tampa baseball team unleashed another offensive avalanche to stay unbeaten, pounding out 18 hits and stacking four multi-run frames to defeat Post University  19–8 at Tampa Baseball Field and move to 7–0.

The Spartans trailed 2–0 in the third before Jesse Ponce legged out an infield hit and Brayden Woodburn immediately flipped the script with a two-run homer to left. Tampa never looked back, as Jordan Evans and Jake Books soon crossed on Jhoander Irigoyen's two‑run single for a four-run inning and the lead for good.

Tampa detonated the game in the fourth with seven more. Luke Fikar sparked it with a leadoff walk, and Ponce laid down a textbook sac bunt to move him up, setting the stage for Woodburn's laser RBI double. After Evans singled and Books walked to load the bases, Irigoyen wore a pitch to force home a run. The knockout followed when Walker Vanecek unloaded a grand slam to left-center, and the inning kept rolling on Gunnett Carlson's double and Javier Soto's up‑the‑middle RBI single, ballooning the margin to 10–2.

The Spartans' parade continued in the fifth, when Woodburn, Evans, and Books all reached, and Irigoyen forced in another run with a bases‑loaded walk. Vanecek took ball four to plate Evans as well, and Carlson's comebacker still managed to bring Books home despite a tag‑out at the plate on the back end, pushing the cushion to 14–5.

Tampa added two more in the sixth on a Woodburn sac fly and an Evans RBI single, then closed its scoring with a three‑run seventh: Jacob Mackara delivered a pinch‑hit RBI single, and Jake Turer punched a two‑run single up the middle to finish off the 19‑run outburst.

In all, Woodburn authored a headline night (3‑for‑3, HR, 2B, HBP, sac fly, 4 RBI, 3 R), Vanecek drove in five with his slam and a bases‑loaded walk, and Irigoyen piled up four RBI while reaching three times. Ponce (2 H, 2 R, 2B, SAC), Evans (2 H, 3 R, RBI), Books (1 H, 3 R, 2 BB), Carlson (double, RBI, 2 R, 2 BB), Soto (RBI single), Mackara (pinch‑hit RBI) and Turer (2‑RBI single) all stamped their names on the box, with Fikar reaching twice and later taking the mound to notch the final three strikeouts in a spotless ninth.

On the hill, John Luke Glanton improved to 3–0, limiting Post to just one earned run across 4.1 innings (5 H, 2 BB, 3 K) while Tampa's offense built the lead. Josiah Velazquez bridged the fifth, Cade Drohan handled the sixth, Tobin Moran spun two scoreless frames with three punchouts, and Fikar slammed the door in the ninth. Tampa's staff totaled 10 strikeouts, and five defensive errors aided a few unearned runs.

Up Next

Tampa and Post conclude their three-game series with a single game on Sunday at noon.