MIAMI SHORES, Fla. – Barry University’s baseball team fell to the No. 2-ranked Spartans of Tampa Thursday night at Feinbloom field, 6-4, in the first game of a three-game conference showdown.
Barry (20-12, 6-7 SSC) fell behind early as the Spartans scratched across three runs in the opening frame on just one hit, taking advantage of two walks and a pair of hit-batters.
Calvin Rayburn (5-2) got off to a slow start but battled to keep the Bucs in the game as he struck out two batters in as many innings.
Tampa (25-4, 8-2 SSC) added two more runs in the top of the fourth to grab a 5-0 lead but the Bucs answered with a four-run rally in the bottom of the second to cut the deficit to one.
J.C. Cardenas started the rally with a leadoff double down the left field line and Michael Slabach followed with a single. After two consecutive outs, Jay Bellot lined a single to right to plate Cardenas for the Bucs’ first run of the game.
Barry strung together four consecutive two-out RBI singles to climb back in the ball game. Bellot, Sheehan Planas-Arteaga, Luis Arrizurieta and Adrian English each collected an RBI single in the second-inning rally.
Trailing 6-4 in the fifth the Bucs loaded the bases with just one out but Tampa reliever Mike Adams retired the next two batters to evade the jam and the Buccaneers squandered their best opportunity of the night.
Adrian Benitez was phenomenal in relief, tossing seven scoreless innings and finished with six strikeouts.
Mike Adams (3-0) earned the win for Tampa throwing 5.0 scoreless innings in relief.
The Bucs and Spartans begin a doubleheader at 12 p.m. Friday to close out the series at Feinbloom field. Live-stat and video broadcast will be available for the final two games of the series. For live baseball coverage fans can follow along through Barry University athletics’ website, GOBARRYBUCS.COM.