TAMPA, Fla. -- The Barry University softball team rallied against top-ranked University of Tampa but fell 3-2 in the bottom of the 9th at Naimoli Field in the opener of a three-game series in Sunshine State Conference (SSC) action on Friday night.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: #1 Tampa 3, Barry 2 [9 Inn.]
Records: Barry (23-23, 9-13 SSC), #1 Tampa (33-2, 21-1 SSC)
All-Time Series: Barry leads the all-time series, 76-50, but the Spartans have won the last three in a row.

SUMMARY:
#1 Spartans 3, Buccaneers 2 [9 Inn.]

• B1: Lilly Kiester singled to the circle with one out, then stole second after two were out. Camryn Wineinger walked. Alexa Russo and Avery Perkins had back-to-back singles to score the first two Spartan runs. | Tampa 2, Barry 0
• T4: Buccaneers tie the score with two unearned runs in the top of the 4th. Cassandra Lee singled with one out. With two outs, Mac Stone-Folmar reaches on a bunt single and Lee and Stone-Folmar both score on a Spartan error. | Barry 2, Tampa 2
• B9: Mackenzie Allen singled with one out and Lauren Fantone followed with a walk. Lilly Kiester singled down the right-field line to plate the winning run. | Tampa 3, Barry 2

NOTEWORTHY:

• Maci Barnhart (L, 10-11) pitched 8 1/3 innings of 10-hit ball while striking out seven Spartans.
• Five different Bucs collected base hits including Harper Bunn, Cassandra Lee, Mac Stone-Folmar, Hayley Pasma, and Lisa Heller.
• Mariah Galhouse (W, 13-2) got the win going the distance for the Spartans.

ON THE HORIZON:
Barry returns to action in an SSC doubleheader against #1 Tampa tomorrow at 12 p.m..