Baseball | 3/27/2004 9:57:00 PM

Box Score TAMPA, Fla.—Jason Austin hit a walk-off, pinch-hit home run off reliever Jon Adams (0-2) to lift Tampa to a 5-4 win over the Barry Buccaneers in the final game of their Sunshine State Conference baseball series at Sam Bailey Field on Sunday.

The Spartans (25-10, 7-5 SSC) jumped out ot the early lead, with JP Castro driving in three runs in the first three innings as Tampa scored four times.

But Barry (21-12, 5-7 SSC) battled back, getting one run in the fifth on an Alex Meneses RBI single and added two more in the sixth on a wild pitch and a run-scoring single by Jerry Thornton. The Bucs tied the game in the eighth inning when Keith Barton doubled and scored on a error by Castro after a base hit by Ricky Sanchez.

But Justin Boza (1-1) came in to close the door and set up Austin's heroics in the ninth. Boza earned the win with two scoreless innings, allowing one hit, while recording one strikeout.

Greg Dicso pitched well in relief for the Bucs, going 5.0 scoreless innings and allowing two hits and two walks, while striking out three.

The Bucs will face Lynn on Tuesday, Mar. 30 at the McCusker Sports Complex before returning to Feinbloom Field next weekend for a pivotal matchup with league-leading Rollins.


Tampa 5, Barry 4 (03/28/2004 at Tampa, FL)
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Barry............... 000 012 010 - 4 12 1 (21-12, 5-7 SSC)
Tampa............... 013 000 001 - 5 7 1 (25-10, 7-5 SSC)
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Pitchers: Barry - Penna; Dicso(3); Adams(8). Tampa - Watts; Perez(6); Benner(6); Boza(8).
Win-Boza(1-1) Loss-Adams(0-2) T-2:53 A-193
HR UTB - Austin (1).
Benner faced 2 batters in the 8th.
Adams faced 1 batter in the 9th.