MIAMI SHORES, Fla. – The Barry University team carried their hot bats from the final game against Florida Southern into Wednesday’s 18-3 thrashing of Saint Thomas.
Having lost a game on Tuesday due to weather, the No. 7 Bucs (34-6) wasted little time jumping out early and often against the Bobcats.
Barry produced a four-spot in the opening frame, behind a Yas Gutierrez two-run double and a Chris Leon sacrifice fly to give the Bucs all the run support they would need.
Junior shortstop Nick Shaw and senior centerfielder Danny Lima both had large nights at the dish.
After just missing a home run in the first inning, Shaw crushed a three-run homer in the third that easily cleared the wall in right for his four home run of the year.
Lima drilled his fifth home run in the sixth to help add to the run onslaught, as his grand slam cleared the centerfield wall to expand the lead to 12.
Lima's grand slam also broke the NCAA Division II record for grand slams by a team in a single season. With his slam in the sixth, that became Barry's 10th of the year which broke Armstrong Atlantic's old record of nine set back in 1988, which was set in 54 games-- The Bucs have only played 40 so far this year.
Yan Gomes broke the school record for RBI in a season, as his hit-by-pitch with the bases loaded in the seventh gave him his 71 RBI, breaking Irain Gonzalez’s old mark of 70 set back in 1998.
Yudelmis Hernandez also broke his home run tie with Gomes with his homer in the seventh to put him at 17 on the season, one ahead of Gomes for the team lead. Both may break the school record which is held by Luis Boullon who hit 19 in 2001.
Barry will now get a short break before returning to Sunshine State Conference play this Friday when they play at Nova Southeastern beginning at 6 p.m.
Barry 18, Saint Thomas 3
(04/15/09 at Miami Shores, FL)
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Saint Thomas........ 011 001 000 - 3 10 0 (20-26)
Barry............... 403 017 30X - 18 18 0 (34-6)
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Pitchers: Saint Thomas - Nick Loden; 13(1); Yamil Echeweria(4); 41(6); Jose Simon(6);
Kyle Radziewski(8). Barry - Andrew Koubek; Corey Witkowski(3); Josh Holmes(6); Julio Diez(7);
Scott Sexton(8); Bobby Hernandez(9).
Win-Andrew Koubek(2-0) Loss-Nick Loden(2-4) T-3:17 A-297
HR BUB - Nick Shaw (4); Danny Lima (5); Yudelmis Hernandez (17).
Game: BB0415