MIAMI SHORES, Fla. – Barry University’s baseball team rallied late to defeat Wilmington University Tuesday night, 9-6.
Barry (13-7, 4-2 SSC) struck first in the bottom of the third inning to take an early 2-0 lead. J.C. Cardenas singled up the middle to lead off the frame and reached third after stealing second and advancing on an errant throw.
Zac Burger doubled off the base of the fence in right to plate Cardenas and the Bucs would add another run to jump out in front, 2-0.
Wilmington (5-4) answered with six unanswered runs in the fourth and fifth innings and led 6-3 as the Bucs batted in the bottom of the fifth.
Sheehan Planas-Arteaga singled to right to drive in Zac Burger while Michael Slabach, who reached on a walk, also scored on a fielding error by the right fielder Brandon Payne.
Adrian English kept the rally going with a double to deep center to score Planas and cut the deficit to one.
Neither team scored in the sixth or seventh inning. It wasn’t until the bottom of the eighth that Barry was able to reclaim the lead.
Planas had been struggling to find his swing early on in the season and entered the game batting .274 showing signs that his offense was coming around. The Miami native led the Bucs with a .319 average as a freshman last spring before he was sidelined with an injury.
After a ground ball to second base off the bat of Michael Diaz to even the score at six the Wildcats chose to pitch around Michael Slabach.
Planas stepped up with the game tied, two runners on and two outs and the sophomore made them pay. Planas delivered a double to right center that scored Burger and Slabach and gave the Bucs the 8-6 lead.
English added some insurance with an RBI single to right to plate Planas, capping off a four run out-burst.
Calvin Rayburn pitched a scoreless ninth to close out the game and the Bucs cruised to their fourth straight victory.
Joe Iorio got the start on the mound and tossed 3.2 innings, allowed three runs of which none were earned.
Joeanthony Rivera (2-2) earned the win in relief scattering three hits in three innings of work and did not allow a run.
Planas led the Buccaneers with a 3-for-5 3 RBI night. English also finished 3-for-5 and added a pair of RBI.
Barry returns to action on Wednesday with a doubleheader against the University of the Sciences beginning at 3 p.m.
Live-stat and video broadcast coverage will be available through the Barry University athletics website, GOBARRYBUCS.COM.
For Video Highlights of Game Two win over Saint Leo on Mar. 2 CLICK HERE.