Holt Saves UT Again In South Regional
Published: May 19, 2007
ADVERTISEMENT
More from this channel:
Search for more information:
TAMPA - Friday was just another tight game, another threatening situation and another chance for University of Tampa closer Jonathan Holt to save the Spartans.
After throwing his way out of a two-on, one-out jam Thursday with a five-out save, Friday Holt got the last eight outs of top-seeded UT's 6-4 victory against third-seeded Carson-Newman in the NCAA II South Regional at the UT Baseball Field. The Eagles were eliminated with the loss.
"The game was on the line," Coach Joe Urso said, pointing at Holt. "And when the game is on the line, I want the ball in this guy's hands."
Sparked by a three-run homer from Jose Jimenez and a solo shot by Craig Corrado, the Spartans (47-9) led 5-2 entering the seventh. That's when Carson-Newman (39-20) scored two runs off reliever Scott Leffler on one hit and a UT error. Urso then made the move to Holt, who responded by striking out five and keeping the Eagles off the scoreboard in his 2 2/3 innings.
Holt, who has 18 saves, had little time to warm up as the game tightened in the seventh.
"I'm always ready to go into the game," Holt said. "There's very little room for error. Every guy that comes up is a big out."
Urso's first major pitching decision of the day paid off. About an hour before the game, he went with previously scheduled No. 4 starter Scott Chapman instead of ace Kevin Ferguson. Chapman allowed two runs (one earned) in six innings for the win.
The unearned run came in the top of the first after center fielder Paul Cruz dropped a deep fly ball. But Jimenez erased the deficit in the bottom of the inning by crushing a 2-2 change-up that landed 20 feet up the net surrounding the wall in right center field.
By not pitching Ferguson, Urso now can use him in today's 11 a.m. game against the Tusculum/Florida Gulf Coast winner, the only other unbeaten team in the tournament. As for Holt, it's unclear whether he'll be available to pitch after 4 1/3 innings in the past two days.
If UT wins this morning, it will advance directly to Sunday's championship game. A loss means it would have to win another game this afternoon and two more times Sunday to reach its second consecutive NCAA II World Series.
FLA. SOUTHERN 8, STILLMAN 7: Tristan Rainone chopped a bases-loaded single through a drawn-in infield in the bottom of the ninth that scored Derek Lokey and gave Florida Southern (41-15) the victory in the day's first game. No. 6 seed Stillman (26-19) was eliminated from the tournament, while the Mocs will play the Tusculum/FGCU loser at 3 p.m. today.
