MIAMI SHORES, Fla. – Barry University’s baseball team fell to Palm Beach Atlantic Tuesday night, 12-8, at Feinbloom field, putting an end to the Bucs win streak at nine.
The Sailfish (6-10-1) struck first in the top of the second inning with a pair of runs. Buccaneers’ starter Nate Greeve struggled with his command and hit three batters to load the bases and allowed two early runs, but escaped any further damage to keep it a 2-0 score.
No. 10 Barry (14-3) answered with two runs in the bottom half of the second. J.C. Cardenas laced a liner into left to drive in the Bucs’ first run and Branden Shaw also knocked in a run with a grounder to the right side to even the game at 2-2.
Palm Beach Atlantic grabbed the lead again in the third inning, this time with a three-run rally as the Sailfish took advantage of a wild-pitch and an errant throw to score two of the three runs in the frame.
For the second straight inning the Bucs answered with two more runs in the bottom of the third. Tyler Kellman drove in a run with a grounder to the right side to plate Sheehan Planas-Arteaga and Luis Rios-Reyes’ sacrifice fly to right drove in Adrian English to pull the Bucs within one, 5-4.
The game went back and forth and in the top of the fourth inning the Sailfish struck again. Andres Vasquez hit a three-run homer over the left field wall to cap a four-run inning that extended the Sailfish lead to 9-4.
After each team traded zeroes on the scoreboard in the fifth and sixth innings, Palm Beach Atlantic scored three more times in the top of the seventh, once again capitalizing on an errant throw to score a pair of runs.
Trailing by eight, the Bucs loaded the bases in the seventh. After English drew a walk to force in a run, Kellman doubled down the right field line to clear the bases and pull Barry within four, 12-8.
Unfortunately, the Bucs were not able to pull any closer and dropped their first game since Feb. 8th.
Planas-Arteaga continues to tear the cover off the ball. The Miami native finished 4-for-5 with a pair of runs to push his average up to .508 on the season. English added a pair of hits and Kellman drove in four on the night.
Greve (1-1) took the loss after allowing five runs, four earned, in three innings of work, but the lefty struck out four.
Calvin Rayburn fanned two batters in one inning of work, while Tyler Petsch and Joanthony Rivera each tossed a scoreless inning in relief.
Ryan Cota (2-1) picked up the win for the Sailfish and threw four scoreless innings in relief of starter Phil DiLandro.
The Bucs open conference play on Friday when they host the Mocs of Florida Southern College for the first of a three-game series.
Live-stat and video broadcast coverage will be available through the Barry University athletics website, GOBARRYBUCS.COM.