TAMPA, Fla. (Tuesday, Feb. 14) ? Trailing by as many a four runs in the contest, the University of South Florida baseball team's (2-2) late rally in the bottom of the ninth fell just short as the Bulls lost to the Jacksonville Dolphins (5-1), 4-3, on Tuesday, Feb. 14 at Red McEwen Field.

Trailing by four runs early in the game, USF battled back to cut Jacksonville's lead to two. With no outs and the bases-loaded in the bottom of the ninth ? trailing 4-2, Jacksonville pitcher Tim Brown got catcher Brian Baisley to ground into a double play. A run scored to bring USF within one run, 4-3, with the tying run 90 feet away and two outs. Brown got JU out of the jam, forcing senior Kris Howell to ground out to second to end the game. Brown earned the save, allowing no runs on no hits in one inning of action. Jacksonville's D. J. Ackley was credited with the win, going five and two-third's innings, allowing two runs on five hits while striking out seven. USF's Davis Bilardello was credited with the loss in his first-career start. The Vero Beach, Fla., native allowed four runs on eight hits, registering five Ks in six innings.

On the night, USF stranded 11 runners on base. The Bulls had their opportunity to score, however, went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position versus the Dolphins. Offensively, USF was led by sophomore Dexter Butler, who went 2-for-3 on the evening. Red-shirt freshman Mike Consolmagno hit 2-for-4 with a run scored, while Howell went 1-for-4 with two RBI on the afternoon.

Jacksonville jumped out to a 4-0 leading, scoring two runs in the top of the first and top of the second. USF answered in the bottom of the third, scoring two runs to make the score 4-2. With runners in scoring position and two outs, Howell singled to center field, scoring Baisley and Joey Angelberger from second and third respectively.

The Bulls continued to trail by two runs into the bottom of the ninth before Consolmagno scored to cut JU's lead to one run. USF's rally attempt fell just short as the Bulls lost their second game of the season.

USF next will travel to Jacksonville to face the Dolphins in a two-game series at Alexander Brest Field Feb. 18-19. Game one will take place on Saturday, Feb. 18. Game time is 1 p.m.


Jacksonville 4, USF 3 (Feb 14, 2006 at Tampa, Fla.)
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Jacksonville........ 220 000 000 - 4 8 1 (5-1)
USF................. 002 000 001 - 3 7 1 (2-2)
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Pitchers: Jacksonville - ACKLEY; PARVEY(6); BROWN(9). USF - Bilardello; Rowe(7); Higgins(8);
Ingram(9).
Win-ACKLEY(1-1) Save-BROWN(1) Loss-Bilardello(0-1) T-2:55 A-151
Rowe faced 1 batter in the 8th.
PARVEY faced 2 batters in the 9th.