MIAMI SHORES, Fla.—The fourth-ranked Barry Buccaneers rallied for a 5-3 win in the finale to avoid a sweep by 12th-ranked Tampa in Sunshine State Conference softball action on Saturday. The Spartans took game one 2-0. The win kept Barry within a game of the Spartans for first-place in the SSC.
In the second game, the Bucs (31-7, 12-3 SSC) trailed 1-0 and 2-1, but a two-run triple by Jessica Tabor gave the Bucs a 4-3 lead they would not relinquish.
The game was delayed 92 minutes in the top of the sixth inning due to rain and lightning in the area, but coming out the break, Natalia Ojeda dropped a single down the left-field line to score Kelly Martinez with an insurance run.
The Spartans (28-5, 13-2 SSC) loaded the bases in the seventh, but Brianna Smith (17-4) got Friday night’s hero Taylor Storey to foul out to first to end the game.
Smith also accounted for the first two Buccaneer runs, with a two-run triple of her own in the third inning. She went the distance in the circle, allowing three runs (one earned) on nine hits and two walks and struck out four.
Deanna Henriott (16-4) took the loss for the Tampa, allowing a season-high five earned runs on nine hits and struck out five.
In game one, Tampa’s Stacy Piagno homered with one on and two outs in the first inning off Alexis Yohe (11-3) for the only runs of the game.
Kayla Cox (12-1) tossed her ninth shutout of the season. She allowed just a pair of singles to Smith, one walk and hit a batter, while striking out 10. Yohe allowed just the two runs on four hits and a walk and struck out nine. She retired 14 of the last 16 batters.
The Bucs host the St. Thomas Bobcats on Tuesday at 4:00 pm in a doubleheader.
(03/31/12 at Miami Shores, FL)
Tampa 2, Barry 0 (Game 1)
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Tampa............... 200 000 0 - 2 4 0 (28-4, 13-1 SSC)
Barry............... 000 000 0 - 0 2 1 (30-7, 11-3 SSC)
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Pitchers: Tampa - Kayla Cox and Becky Vyzas. Barry - Alexis Yohe and Kayla Monroy.
Win-Kayla Cox(12-1) Loss-Alexis Yohe(11-3) T-1:34
HR UT - Stacy Piagno (1).
Weather: bleak
Barry 5, Tampa 3 (Game 2)
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Tampa............... 010 020 0 - 3 9 0 (28-5, 13-2 SSC)
Barry............... 002 021 X - 5 9 4 (31-7, 12-3 SSC)
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Pitchers: Tampa - Deanna Henriott and Becky Vyzas. Barry - Brianna Smith and Kayla Monroy.
Win-Brianna Smith(17-4) Loss-Deanna Henriott(16-4) T-3:38 A-87
Weather: apocalyptic