March 8, 2006

Box Score

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla.--St. Thomas University baseball exploded for eight runs in the third inning to take a 12-2 lead en route to a 17-3 win against King College (Tenn.) Wednesday night at Esposito Field.

Aliercy Nunez and Adrian B. Gonzalez each had three hits in the rout.

Jose Garcia picked up his second win of the season, pitching six innings and allowing three runs - one earned - on six hits. The junior walked two and fanned four.

Alex Pascual led off the game with a three-run triple and six walks followed in the inning, as Tornadoes starting pitcher Wesley Griggs had more than a little trouble finding the strike zone. St. Thomas scored three in the inning.

Each team got a run in the second and King added a run in the third when Joe Craven singled and came around to score on errors by Jose Rey and Juan Santana to bring King within 5-2.

The Bobcats put the game away in the third.

Nunez led off with a walk before Rey singled to center. Florin then singled and Jorge Fernandez was hit by a pitch to bring in a run. Adrian B. and Adrian F. Gonzalez followed with singles that brought in three more runs. By the frame's end, St. Thomas held a 12-2 lead and King College had used three pitchers.

Consecutive doubles by Nunez and Rey and a single by Fernandez led to two more runs in the fourth.

Four singles, a walk and an error in the sixth brought home the final three runs in the 17-3 final. The game was called in the middle of the seventh due to the mercy rule.

Jose Simon pitched the seventh for St. Thomas and allowed no runs on one hit.

Griggs took the loss for King College, allowing seven runs - five earned - on four hits and seven walks.

Despite the downpour of 19 hits, the Bobcats were not flawless on the night, committing four errors - two each by Santana in center and Rey behind the plate.

St. Thomas gets back in action Friday when the Bobcats begin a weekend series with Dominican College (N.Y.). Game time is 6 p.m. at Esposito Stadium.