Bozzo’s Brilliance Not Enough, Tarpons Drop Finale

TAMPA, Fla. – The Tampa Tarpons (5-10) dropped Sunday’s series finale to the Bradenton Marauders (6-9), despite a strong performance from Gregory Bozzo, who went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs in his first professional start behind the plate.

Bradenton struck first in the second inning, capitalizing on walks and a two-run single by Dylan Palmer to take a 2-0 lead.

Tampa answered in the third, as Brando Mayea doubled and later scored on a groundout by Logan Maxwell to cut the deficit in half. The Tarpons moved in front in the fourth, when Bozzo launched a two-run homer the opposite way, scoring Austin Green to give Tampa a 3-2 advantage.

Bradenton evened the score in the fifth on a wild pitch and regained the lead in the sixth on an RBI single from Edward Florentino.

Bozzo came up big for Tampa again in the home half of the sixth, singling home JoJo Jackson to knot the game at four apiece.

The score remained deadlocked into the ninth before Bradenton broke through. Cristian Jauregui doubled to start the frame, and Edgleen Perez delivered the decisive blow against his former team with a two-run double to give the Marauders a 6-4 lead.

Tampa was set down in order in the bottom half, as Bradenton held on to secure the victory and the series.

The Tarpons will look to bounce back in their next series as they travel to Lakeland to face the Flying Tigers.