MIAMI SHORES, Fla. -- Barry's baseball team won its last Friday home game of the regular season in a big way, jumping all over Rollins, 20-9, at Feinbloom Field. The 20 runs were a season high for the Buccaneers.
The Bucs (21-20, 5-11 Sunshine State Conference) fell behind in the first inning on a two-run double by Rollins' Mike Dolan before busting out with an offensive fireworks display in the second through sixth innings. Barry scored eight runs in the third and four more in the fourth to take a 13-2 lead it never relinquished. The Bucs blew the game open in the bottom of the sixth, tacking on six runs to put things out of reach.
Barry's
Ryan Baldwin got the hit parade started when he crushed his 12
th home run of the year to center field on a 2-0 count in the second inning. The Bucs exploded for eight runs on seven hits in the third, sending 11 hitters to the plate.
Khalil Denson cranked a two-run homer to right,
Jonathan Quintana and
Frank Gonzalez each doubled in a run,
Julian Abreu singled in two runs, and
Kyle Pangallo belted a two-run shot to left to put the Bucs up seven runs. It was Denson's fourth home run of the year, and second in as many games. Pangallo connected on his third long ball of the season.
In the bottom of the fourth, Baldwin, Gonzalez and Abreu all drove in runs to extend Barry's lead to 13-2. Rollins (21-20, 6-12) got four runs back in the sixth, but Barry responded with six more of its own to put the game away. An RBI by
Alexis Monge, and
Alexander DeGoti's grand slam to left sealed the deal for the Buccaneers, who matched their win total from a year ago with eight games remaining in the regular season. The Tars scored twice in the eighth, but the damage was already done.
Abreu went 3 for 5 with four RBI. Quintana also had three hits, including his 14th double of the season. Gonzalez went 2 for 3, driving in a pair. Baldwin was 2 for 3 with two RBI and two walks. DeGoti went 2 for 5 with four RBI and a walk. His grand slam was his team-leading 13th home run of the season.
Ramon Valdez had two hits in five plate appearances. Bucs leadoff hitter
Mike Diaz was 2 for 5.
Ten different batters accounted for Barry's 19 hits. Rollins had seven hits, including a pair by Mike Purcell and Nick Breen. The 19 hits were the second most this season for the Buccaneers, who had 26 against American International on March 4. Barry has crushed 49 home runs this year, which ranks seventh in school history.
Bucs starter
Alex Lavandero improved to 6-3, following an eight-strikeout performance in 5 2/3 innings. He allowed five hits and two earned runs on 122 pitches, collecting his second straight win to open a weekend series. Lavandero also won the opening game of last weekend's series at Saint Leo. He has fanned eight or more batters in his last six outings, and leads the Bucs' staff with 89 strikeouts this season. That ranks fifth on the school's single-season list.
Rollins starter Brian Auerbach allowed 11 runs on 10 hits in 3 1/3 innings.
The series continues Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.
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