MIAMI SHROES, Fla. – Barry University’s baseball team dropped the first game of a doubleheader against Lynn Sunday afternoon 6-3 before taking the rubber-match 8-6 in the series finale.
Game One
Barry (26-26, 11-10 SSC) broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fourth inning when freshman shortstop J.C. Cardenas drove in Luis Arrizurieta for the game’s first run.
Right-hander Tyler Kinley kept the Fighting Knights’ quiet for the most part, allowing just two runs in six innings and finished with seven K’s.
However, Kinley left in the top of the seventh trailing 2-1 and although he could no longer help his cause on the mound he found away at the plate. Hitting for himself and remaining in the game as the designated hitter, Kinley delivered an RBI single to center field to drive in Michael Slabach who reached on a double earlier in the frame.
Michael Diaz followed with a single to right and Joe Iorio put the Bucs ahead with a groundball to the right side that would score Kinley.
Lynn (26-15, 9-6 SSC) seemed to be down and out but the Fighting Knights pulled off the comeback in the ninth. A pair of walks and a costly defensive miscue led to a grand slam home run to give Lynn the 8-6 lead.
Unable to answer in the bottom half, the Buccaneers let one slip away, falling by a final of 8-6.
Game Two
In the nightcap the Buccaneers proved to be resilient and aggressive looking for a series win over their second-straight conference foe.
Tyler Kellmann continued to swing a hot bat, belting a two run homer down the left field line in the first to put the Bucs out in front.
Calvin Rayburn (7-2) was perfect through the first three innings and tossed 6.2 innings on his way to his seventh victory of the season.
Barry added two more runs in the third, three in the fifth and another in the sixth to build a commanding lead.
Once again the Knights mounted a late comeback bid, scoring four times in the top of the seventh inning to cut the deficit to two but Adrian Benitez stepped up for the Bucs to close out his second game of the season.
Kellmann led the Buccaneers with three hits, three runs, three RBI and a homer in the doubleheader. Michael Slabach and Luis Arrizurieta also added three hits each in the two games and each added two doubles.
Barry steps out of conference on Wednesday when they host the Bobcats of Saint Thomas University at Feinbloom Field. Live-stat and video broadcast will be available through the Barry University athletics website, GOBARRYBUCS.COM.