MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – The seventh ranked St. Thomas University Bobcats (34-4, 14-1 TSC) completed the three game sweep over (RV) Florida Memorial University (20-14, 11-7 TSC) in two dominant performances on Saturday afternoon from Paul Demie Mainieri Field with scores of 8-0 and 12-2.
In game one of Saturday's doubleheader, the Bobcats handed the ball to
Chris Rodriguez (6-0) to start. Rodriguez responded with seven innings as well as eight strikeouts as he cruised to his sixth win on the season.
Tyler Morales came into the game for St. Thomas in the eighth inning and pitched the final two innings to close out the game.
Offensively, St. Thomas scored two runs in the first inning off of a Chris Garabedian (3-4, 3 RBI) RBI single, as he brought in Erick Delgado and Elih Marrero. St. Thomas also added runs in the third, fifth and sixth innings to defeat Florida Memorial.
The two-run single from Garabedian was his first of three hits as well as bringing in two of his three RBIs on the day to clinch him Golden Rake honors.
In the series finale, St. Thomas would once again put the run-rule into effect to complete the series sweep.
Ian Exposito (6-0) also earned his sixth win of the season in a seven inning performance, adding five strikeouts, while allowing two runs.
Erne Valdes came into pitch the seventh and final inning of the series getting all of his outs via the strikeout and allowing a hit. For Valdes, in his last 10 innings of work he has racked up 21 strikeouts.
St. Thomas was led by the bat of Marrero who went 3-for-4 with five RBIs to collect his second Golden Rake of the series. In the fourth inning, Marrero came up with
Jose Brito and
Oscar Rodriguez on and brought both of them in with a two-run triple down the right field line, aggressive base-running by Marrero also forced the Florida Memorial shortstop to throw the ball out of play to bring Marrero in to score on the play as well. Brito and Sergio Lopez also added two RBIs each in the offensive effort as well.
Up next for the seventh ranked St. Thomas University Bobcats is a trip back up to West Palm Beach to take on #13 Keiser University in midweek action on Tuesday, April 3
rd at 3 p.m.
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