BOCA RATON, Fla.- Lynn University's eighth-ranked baseball team dropped the final two games of the Sunshine State Conference season to No. 1 Tampa (45-2) on Saturday afternoon. Lynn finishes the SSC season 15-9 while the Spartans stand at 20-1 with one series to go. Alex Debellis led the Fighting Knights offense going 5-for-6 at the plate with one double, an RBI and one run scored. Lynn honored its nine seniors prior to the final game of the series during senior day ceremonies.

Daniel Patrick started the first game but only made it through two innings when he allowed five earned runs on seven hits. Lynn would turn to the bullpen five times over the next seven innings before falling 13-5 in the opener. Enrique Perez and Sal Giardina both recorded two hits and a run scored. Giardina doubled down the right field line in the top of the ninth in hopes of sparking a late Fighting Knights rally but the damage was already done. Debellis batted a perfect 3-for-3 with a double in the six hole for the Blue & White.

Michael Danner and Sean O'Brien both went 3-for-5 at the plate as UT tallied 13 runs on 19 hits against the Fighting Knights.

Tampa took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Orlando Rivera scored on a wild pitch by Lynn's ace, Travis Connelly. Connelly escaped the inning fairly easily and Lynn would even the score in the bottom half of the first.

Michael Stemle led off with a walk in the bottom of the first inning. He stole second and third base while Enrique Perez was at the plate. Perez would draw a four-pitch walk to put runners on the corners for Lynn's power-hitting third baseman, Thomas Kain. Kain singled to right field on a 1-1 pitch to score Stemle easily from third to tie the game, 1-all.

Connor Obrachta tripled to deep center field in the top of the fourth inning to score two runs, both unearned for Tampa to lead 4-1.

A leadoff single by Debellis in the bottom of the seventh off of Tampa's closer Kevin McNorton would start a late rally for the Fighting Knights. Ben Schwanburg stepped in to hit in place of designated hitter Matt Ackerman and knocked a single up the middle to put two runners on base and Debellis in scoring position.

Albert Lefran reached on a fielder's choice when the Tampa infield tried to turn a 4-6-3 double play but Lynn's second baseman made it safely to first. Stemle laid down a perfect bunt down the third base line to score Debellis for the Blue & White's deficit to be cut in half. Perez struck out looking on a 1-2 pitch to end the ball game, leaving the tying run at first base.

Connelly pitched a complete game allowing four runs, two earned, on five hits while striking out three batters. Debellis and Stemle both had multi-hit games going 2-for-3 while Stemle and Kain drove in Lynn's only runs.

This marks the first time the Blue & White has been swept in SSC action since the last time these two teams met in 2013. Lynn will host Palm Beach Atlantic in a non-conference series to finish the regular season. First pitch of the three-game set is slated for 3:00 p.m. on Friday, May 2. Fans can follow the action live at LynnFighitngKnights.com. Don't forget to 'Like' us on Facebook and follow @LUKnights on Twitter and Instagram.