PENSACOLA, Fla. – The No. 3 seed University of Tampa Spartans baseball team rallied for a come from behind victory against the NCAA South Regional's No. 1 Seed West Florida. The win marks the programs 19th NCAA South Regional title. They move on to the 2021 NCAA Championship Series to defend their 2019 National Championship win this Saturday, June 5, in Cary, North Carolina.
Final: No. 3 Tampa Spartans 8, No. 1 West Florida 7
Records: Tampa (20-4), West Florida (37-11)
Location: Jim Spooner Field | Pensacola, Fla.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Dan Sullivan got Tampa on the board in the opening frame with a double to right centerfield to score E.J. Cumbo. | 1-0 Tampa
The Argonauts answered in the bottom of the first. | 1-1 Tied
A Drew Ehrhard double in the top of the second landed three RBI, giving Tampa the lead: Cumbo, Josh Rulli, and J.D. Urso. | 4-1 Tampa
West Florida tallied five runs in in the third and fourth innings to reclaim the lead. | 6-4 West Florida
Jamarcus Lyons launched a solo shot in the top of the fifth and teammate Luke Glancy added another solo shot in the top of the seventh, tying the game and rallying the Spartans come from behind win. | 6-6 Tied
Cumbo also logged an RBI in the seventh frame on a sac-fly, bringing home Sam Freitas, giving Tampa the lead. | 7-6 Tampa
Ehrhard singled up the middle in the bottom of the ninth to score Rulli, giving Tampa an insurance run heading into the bottom of the final inning. | 8-6 Tampa
The Argonauts scored once in the bottom of the ninth. | Final: 8-7 Tampa
INSIDE THE STATS:
South Regional opponents could not solve slugger E.J. Cumbo, as the sophomore continued to give opposing pitchers fits with a 2-for-3 day at the plate with two runs scored, an RBI, two walks, and no strikeouts.
Drew Ehrhard logged a game-high four RBI.
Jamarcus Lyons and Luke Glancy's solo shots in the fifth and seventh innings tied the game and sparked the Spartans comeback effort.
Dan Sullivan also had an RBI-double in the game.
Braydon Nelson (4-1) and Jordan Leasure (Sv, 5) were dominant in relief, collectively striking out six in 5.2 IP while allowing just one run.
UP NEXT: The Spartans play in the 2021 NCAA Championship Series this Saturday, June 5, in Cary, North Carolina.
Courtesy of University of Tampa Athletic Communications