TAMPA, Fla. – Palm Beach Atlantic baseball dropped a doubleheader to Tampa on Saturday, as the Spartans won a pitcher's duel 2-0 and pulled away late to win the finale 11-1. The Sailfish fall to 20-20 on the season with the losses to the Spartans while Tampa improves to 31-5 with the Sunshine State Conference sweep.
The Sailfish will head down to Miami Shores on Tuesday, April 17 for a mid-week game against Barry at 6 p.m.
Game 1: No. 2/4 Tampa 2, Palm Beach Atlantic 0
The Spartans got on the scoreboard early in Saturday's opener, as Nick DeTringo led off the first inning for the Spartans with a solo home run to left field off Sailfish starting pitcher Lance Fry.
Fry dominated the Spartan lineup for the rest of his outing, as he retired the next 11 batters following the solo homer, and ended up throwing seven solid innings against the Spartans, allowing just the one run. Fry struck out seven Tampa batters in his outing and allowed just five hits in his best start of the season.
Keven Pimentel was just as good on the day however, as he fired seven shutout innings against the Sailfish, allowing just three hits and striking out three hitters.
The Spartans bullpen completed the shutout win for Tampa with two shutout innings.
Sean Houck had a 3-for-4 day at the plate for the Sailfish, as Eddie Vicinanza collected two hits with a 2-for-4 day for the 'Fish who recorded just six hits in the game.
Game 2: No. 2/4 Tampa 11, Palm Beach Atlantic 1
Tampa struck first in the game for the third time in the series, as they scored a run in the second inning on a Richie Rivera sacrifice fly.
The Sailfish answered back in the top of the fifth, as Connor Rowland reached base and came around to score on an RBI single by senior Eddie Vicinanza which tied the game 1-1.
The Sailfish defense made an error on a bunt in the bottom half of the fifth, as the Spartans scored two unearned runs off Mitchell Carroll.
Carroll's day ended after five innings, as the junior allowed three runs (one earned) on just three hits.
Tampa opened the game up with a four-run sixth inning and tacked on four more in the eighth to pull away for good.
The Sailfish were unable to scratch across another run and lost by an 11-1 final score.
Rowland and Vicinanza finished with multiple hits in the series finale for the Sailfish. Vicinanza led the way with three hits in the game and five total for the day.
