No. 7 Tampa turns back No. 28 Rock, 12-3

Jacob Oswalt collected two RBIs for SRU (4-3) while Matt Messer picked up one

TAMPA, Fla. – Two-time defending national champion and seventh-ranked Tampa (15-4-1) pounded out 13 hits, including five for extra bases, Monday night en route to a 12-3 win over the 28th-ranked Rock in a duel of NCAA Division II nationally ranked teams.

The loss was the third in the last four games for SRU, which will take a 4-3 record into a day off Tuesday.

The Green and White return to action at 10 a.m. Wednesday, when they will take on North Atlantic Regional rival Pitt-Johnstown at the Bob Gladwin Baseball Complex in Fort Pierce, Fla.

The Rock meets regional rival Mansfield in a 12:30 p.m. nine-inning single game Thursday before it closes out its annual spring trip to the Sunshine State with a 4 p.m. twinbill Friday vs. Nyack (N.Y.) College and an 8:45 a.m. single game Saturday vs. Post University (R.I.).

Senior designated hitter and co-captain Jim Eimiller had two of SRU's 12 hits in the game, while freshman DH Derek Diruscia, freshman third baseman Adam Jury and junior shortstop Rich Michalek each had a double.

Senior left fielder Matt Messer had an RBI single in the fourth frame and sophomore left fielder Jacob Oswalt slapped a two-run single in the eighth to plate The Rock's runs.

Sophomore southpaw Sean Holliday (0-1), The Rock's starting pitcher, was tagged with the loss. He allowed eight runs (six earned) on eight hits, struck out one and walked two in two and one-third innings.

Junior right-hander Don Pugliese allowed two runs (one earned) on only one hit, struck out one and walked three in one and one-third innings before he gave way to freshman southpaw Brett Vescovi, who allowed two runs (one run) on two hits, struck out two and walked one in one and one-third innings.

Sophomore righty Vince Lloyd yielded two hits and struck out three in two innings before senior co-captain and righthander Mike DeCola struck out two and walked one in the final frame.

Notes: The Rock broke into the Ping Baseball Division II top-30 national poll Monday with a No. 28 ranking … SRU, after being ranked 23rd last week, dropped out of the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper national poll … The Green and White remain the No. 2 team in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association's North Atlantic Regional poll … Tampa is ranked seventh by Ping Baseball and ninth by Collegiate Baseball.

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