ORLANDO, Fla. (April 18, 2006) ? The University of South Florida baseball team (18-20) defeated the UCF Golden Knights (21-19), 6-4 in 11 innings, on Tuesday, April 18 at Jay Bergman Field. An RBI-single by Ty Taborelli resulted in the game-winning run in the top of the 11th. The win marked the season-series win for the Bulls over the Golden Knights, 2-1. It also moved USF ahead of UCF in the series history 48-47.
Taborelli finished the night batting 3-for-5, including his eighth double of the season with two RBI and two runs scored. Senior Brian Baisley went 1-for-2 with a double and would prove to be the game-winning run as pinch runner James Rowe replaced Baisley on second and crossed home plate on Taborelli's single. Freshman Addison Maruszak hit 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored on the night. Maruszak notched his team-leading 12th double of the year during USF's win.
Closer Chase Lirette picked up his second win of the season, allowing no runs on one hit in two innings of relief. The Tallahassee, Fla., native struck out two UCF batters while allowing no walks. Right-hander Raymon Garcia was credited with his first-career save. Garcia closed out the game throwing one shutout inning in the bottom of the 11th, retiring the three batters he faced. Starter Nick Manganaro struck out four batters in four innings, allowing one run on two hits in his third start of the season. Reliever Jim Cassidy lasted one and one-third inning, striking out three while Yuri Higgins K'd five Golden Knights in two and two-thirds innings of action, allowing no runs on one hit.
USF jumped out to an early four-run lead, scoring three runs in the top of the first and one in the top of the second. An RBI-double by Maruszak got USF on the board 1-0 in the top of the first. A triple by Kris Howell and a sacrifice fly by Brandin Daniel rounded out the scoring for the Bulls in the top of the first. A double by Taborelli in the top of the second with a runner on second added to USF's lead, 4-0.
UCF chipped away at USF's lead, tying game in the bottom of the sixth, 4-4. Neither team could cross home plate during the final three innings, sending the game to extra innings.
In the top of the 11th, RBI-singles by Taborelli and Mike Consolmagno put the Bulls ahead, 6-4. With a two-run lead, Garcia shut down the Golden Knights, giving USF its second-straight win over UCF.
USF will travel to Pittsburgh, Pa., to face the Pittsburgh Panthers in BIG EAST action starting Friday, April 21. Game One of the three-game series with the Panthers will start at 7 p.m.
USF 6, UCF 4 (Apr 18, 2006 at Orlando, Fla.)
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USF................. 310 000 000 02 - 6 11 4 (18-20)
UCF................. 000 103 000 00 - 4 7 1 (21-19)
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Pitchers: USF - MANGANARO; CASSIDY(5); HIGGINS(6); LIRETTE(9); GARCIA(11). UCF - T. Meier;
B. Brooks(3); K. Sweat(6); T. Bunnell(8); B. Bordwine(8); J. Thorne(8); K. Bender(11).
Win-LIRETTE(2-2) Save-GARCIA(1) Loss-J. Thorne(2-3) T-4:00 A-378
HR UCF - T. Auer.
B. Bordwine faced 2 batters in the 8th.
