Baseball | 3/30/2002 8:18:00 PM

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 BOCA RATON, Fla. -- The Barry University baseball team split a Sunshine State Conference doubleheader with the Lynn University Fighting Knights winning the first game 6-3 and falling in the nightcap 8-6 earlier this afternoon at the McCusker Sports Complex.

Going into the seventh inning of the first game, neither team had been able to muster any runs. However, with the bases loaded, senior first baseman Rey Fuentes hit his second career grand slam to give the Bucs a 4-0 lift. The Knights bounced back with a three-run rally of their own in the bottom of the seventh, but the Bucs added two more runs late securing the win 6-3.

Jonathan Sandola (3-0) earned the win for the Bucs giving up three runs on eight hits, while striking out six. Gerry Guarch came in as a reliever in the eighth and pitched two scoreless innings and gave up two hits picking up his second save of the season. Raymond Leyva (3-1) took the his first loss of the season hurling 6.1 innings and gave up three runs on five hits.

Alex Lorenzo led the Bucs at the plate in game one going two-for-four with a double. Joglys Ramos went two-for-five with an RBI and a run scored, while teammate Rey Fuentes was one-for-five with the grand slam and four RBI.

In the second game, the Knights recovered gracefully after swapping leads twice and managed a four-run six inning to capture the only win of the three-game series 8-6.

John Vinciguerra (2-1) took the loss for the Bucs throwing 1.1 innings, while giving up four runs on four hits. Starting pitcher, Keith Hameister took the majority of the load for 4.1 innings giving up four solo homers, eight total hits, while striking out three. Jesse Beesley (4-4) earned the win for the Knights coming in the game as a reliever throwing 5.1 innings giving up five runs (three earned) on eight hits, while striking out five.

The Bucs were led by Joey Apotheker in game two going two-for-four with two RBI, while Rey Fuentes went two-for-three with two doubles, an RBI and scored three times. Joglys Ramos went two-for-four with an RBI, while Chris Casale added a two-for-four performance with a run scored.

The Bucs came out of the weekend series 18-13 (2-4, SSC), and the Knights moved to 22-16 (6-3, SSC). The Buccaneers will return to the diamond Friday, Apr. 5 at 3 pm for the first game of a three-game conference series with Florida Tech in Melbourne, Fla.