TAMPA, Fla. – The Buccaneers (18-10, 2-4 SSC) dropped the final two games of the three game series to the University of Tampa (22-3, 6-0 SSC). Barry dropped a close 5-4 game in eleven innings and in the night cap the Bucs fell 5-2.  Nick Corbeil led the Buccaneers on the day going 2-for-4 at the plate including a solo home run in game one and two RBI.

In the first game of the double header, Alex Meneses recorded the first hit and scored the first run of the series for the Buccaneers in the first inning of game one. Meneses reached first on an infield single before Andrew Frezza drove him in as the Bucs to an early 1-0 lead.

The Spartans tied the game up in the bottom of the second inning following a RBI double by Jose Jimenez. In the following inning, Lee Cruz put Tampa on top 2-1 with a solo home run.

The Tampa lead was short lived as Corbeil hit a home run of his own in the top of the fourth as the Bucs tied up the contest 2-2. The shot was only the second home run by an opponent at the newly constructed University of Tampa Baseball Field.

In the bottom half of the fourth, the Buccaneers prevented the Spartans from taking a two-run lead when Roberto Mena lined a shot to right field and Frezza played it off a hop and threw to the cut off man, Cesar Aranguren who threw out UT's Billy Wimberly at the plate. Prior to that play, the Spartans scored a run to lead 3-2.

Ray Rhoads came into the game in relief of Mike Tomoleoni in the bottom of the fifth and was able to get out of a bases loaded jam without giving up another run. Rhoads pitched three innings of reliefs allowing one run on two hits.

Tampa reliever Aaron Cook could not hold the one-run lead as the Buccaneers scored two runs off of Cook to take a 4-3 lead. Aranguren drove in Thornton on a sacrifice fly to left field and Corbeil drove in the second run of the inning.

Buccaneer Jesse Naber (0-1) entered the contest in the later half of the eighth and was unable to hold the Spartan offense as they went on to tie the game on a squeeze by pinch hitter Charley Raley to score Craig Corrado.

In the ninth, the Buccaneers could not muster anything at the plate against Cook but the Spartans loaded the bases in the ninth with two outs in the bottom half. Naber was able to end the threat by striking out Jimenez swinging to force the game into extra innings.

The Buccaneers wasted no time in the tenth as they got on the board on a RBI single by Orestes Gonzalez. The Spartans tied up the game in the bottom of the inning when Kyle Frontz scored on a wild pitch by Naber.

In the bottom eleventh, Lee Cruz hit a lead-off double and Orlando Rosales hit a game-winning single as the Spartans took the game 6-5. Jordan Williams (6-0) picked up the victory in one inning of relief in the top half of the inning.

Naber took the loss allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits in three innings. Tomoleoni pitched four innings allowing three runs (all earned) on four hits. He struck out four. Corbeil led the Buccaneers going 2-for-4 with the home run. Gonzalez, Frezza and Aranguren drove in one run each.

In the nightcap, Glen Zavitz (2-2) took the mound for the Buccaneers and pitched 5 1/3 solid innings allowing five runs (four earned) on six hits with four strikeouts.

The Spartans scored first off a two run home run by Cruz, his third of the series and twelfth of the season.

In the top of the third, Frezza drove in his third run of the day with a RBI double as the Bucs continued to trail 2-1.

The Spartans added another run in the third and in the fifth, Frezza added another RBI to cut the Tampa lead 3-2.
Tampa then added two runs in the bottom of the sixth to put the game away.

The Buccaneers will be in action again on Tuesday, Mar. 21 when they travel to take on cross-town NAIA St. Thomas University. The game is scheduled to begin at 6:00 pm.

(03/18/06 at Tampa, Fla.) (Game 1)
#4 Tampa 6, Barry 5
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Barry............... 100 100 020 10 - 5 8 0 (18-9, 2-3)
Tampa............... 011 100 010 11 - 6 11 2 (21-3, 5-0)
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Pitchers: Barry - Tomoleoni; Rhoads(5); Naber(8). Tampa - Jackson; Cook(7); Jo. Williams(11).
Win-Jo. Williams(6-0) Loss-Naber(0-1) T-3:10 A-310
HR BUB - Corbeil.
HR UTB - Cruz (11).

(03/18/06 at Tampa, Fla.) (Game 2)
#4 Tampa 5, Barry 2
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Barry............... 001 010 0 - 2 5 2 (18-10, 3-3)
Tampa............... 201 002 X - 5 7 1 (22-3, 6-0)
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Pitchers: Barry - Zavitz; Bernat(6). Tampa - Williams; Benner(5); Peterson(5).
Win-Williams(2-0) Save-Peterson(1) Loss-Zavitz(2-2) T-2:05 A-315
HR UTB - Cruz. (12)