WINTER PARK, Fla. – Barry University’s baseball team dropped the series opener versus Rollins Friday night in an extra innings affair, 3-2.
Barry (21-15, 7-9 SSC) sent freshman Billy Atkins to the mound and the freshman was stellar once again with yet another quality start under his belt.
Atkins ran into a bit of trouble in the second inning after the Tars pushed across a run to grab a 1-0 lead but the righty would strand a pair of runners to end the threat.
Rollins (18-13, 5-5)added another run in the fifth to extend the lead to two and seemed in complete control of the game as Anthony Figliolia allowed just one hit through the first six innings.
The Bucs answered in the seventh, capitalizing on an errant throw on a sacrifice bunt that eventually scored Tyler Kellmann.
Michael Diaz delivered an RBI single to right to score J.C. Cardenas and even the game at two.
Neither team scored in the next four innings and the game went to the twelfth. With a runner on third, two strikes and one out the Tars executed a suicide squeeze to secure the walk-off victory.
Atkins tossed seven innings and allowed just two runs but did not figure into the decision. Adrian Benitez (4-1) tossed 4.1 innings, scattered three hits and finished with five K’s despite taking the loss.
The Bucs and Tars will wrap up the series with a doubleheader Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. with live-stat and video broadcast available through the Barry University athletics website, GOBARRYBUCS.COM.
