TAMPA, Fla. (March 16, 2007) ? Senior right handed pitcher Danny Otero picked up his fourth win of the season Friday night at Red McEwen Field as the University of South Florida (14-6, 1-0) beat Pittsburgh (6-9, 0-1), 4-2, in the BIG EAST season opener for both teams.
Otero struck out eight in 8.0 innings, allowing seven hits and two earned runs.
Freshman RHP Shawn Sanford picked up his fourth save of the season, allowing no hits and no runs scored in the ninth, helping the Bulls to their first BIG EAST Conference win under Coach Lelo Prado.
Junior shortstop Walter Diaz was 2-for-3 at the plate while juniors Brad Karns and Brandin Daniel each picked up an RBI in the game.
USF, who failed to score in the opening inning for first time in six games, trailed early in the contest after the Panthers scored two in the second.
The Bulls cut the lead in half in the bottom of the sixth, scoring one run off of back-to-back doubles to right field from junior Dexter Butler and Daniel. Daniel picked up his 28th RBI of the season on the play.
Two innings later, the Bulls took the 4-2 lead after senior Ty Taborelli hit a single to right field, then sophomore Addison Maruszak reached on an error by the Pittsburgh short stop. After a Panther error on Butler's sac bunt, Taborelli and Maruszak crossed home plate to give USF the one-run lead. Butler then scored on a sac fly from the designated hitter Karns, who was playing in his fourth game of the season, to give USF the 4-2 win.
The Bulls and Panthers meet again Saturday at 6 p.m., then at noon on Sunday, March 18.
