BOCA RATON, Fla. – After dropping the first game of the series on Friday, Barry University’s baseball team split the final two games of a three-game conference series against No. 8 Lynn Saturday afternoon dropping game one, 9-4, before winning the series finale, 7-4.
Game One
The Buccaneers (21-14, 4-11 SSC) struggles offensively have plagued them throughout conference play, but on Saturday Barry jumped out to a 2-run lead in the top of the second inning. Tyler Kellmann was hit by a pitch and Carlos Matamoros followed with a double to right center. After a strikeout, Branden Shaw delivered an RBI single to center to plate Kellmann and a throwing error allowed Matamoros to score, which gave the Bucs the 2-0 lead.
Lynn (28-8, 10-4 SSC) answered with four hits and three doubles in the bottom of the fourth to rally for three runs and grab a 3-2 lead.
Calvin Rayburn (2-2) started for the Bucs, but was touched up for seven runs on nine hits in 4.1 innings of work.
Barry regained the lead on an RBI double off the bat of Greg Brodzinski and a sacrifice fly from Kellmann in the fifth, but a big five-run fifth for the Fighting Knights was the difference in the ball game.
Both teams finished with three errors, but Lynn’s offense prevailed in game one after pounding out 14 hits against the Bucs’ pitching staff. Sheehan Planas-Arteaga finished with three of Barry’s nine hits in the first game of the double-header to pace the offense.
Game Two
Heading into the series finale, the Bucs were looking to avoid getting swept for the second third time in conference play and jumped out to an early lead once again. Barry scored three times in the first inning. Plannas-Arteaga and Ramon Valdez each drove in runs and the Bucs took advantage of an error to score three times in the frame.
Joe Iorio (3-2) took the mound for the Bucs in the series finale and cruised through the first two innings, but Lynn tied the game in the third with Freedman’s three-run homer to right field.
After trading zeroes on the scoreboard in the fourth, Barry once again took advantage of some sloppy defense by the ‘Knights in the fifth. Kellmann, Valdez, Brodzinski and Adrian English each drove in a run in the fifth to cap a four-run rally that gave Barry a 7-3 lead late in the game.
Iorio worked into the seventh inning, but coach Marc Pavao called upon Nate Greve to close out the ball game. The left-hander retired the final two outs of game to close out the Bucs’ victory. J.C. Cardenas and Brodzinksi led the way offensively with multi-hit games in the nightcap.
Barry will step out of conference play on Tuesday when they play host to crosstown rival St. Thomas at Feinbloom field. Live-stats and video broadcast will be available through Barry University’s athletics website, GOBARRYBUCS.COM.