NOTRE DAME, Ind. (March 23, 2007) ? Junior second baseman Dexter Butler extended his hitting streak to seven games in the University of South Florida's 1-0 loss to Notre Dame Friday night in Indiana.

In the fifth inning, Butler singled up the middle to extend his hitting streak to seven games, dating back to the Michigan State contest on March 10. During those seven games, Butler has tallied two multiple-hit games and has notched one home run and two doubles.

Senior right-handed pitcher Danny Otero picked up his fourth loss of the season while striking out four and allowing no walks in his eighth appearance. Otero allowed seven hits and one run in 7.2 innings pitched against the Irish.

Only nine USF batters stepped to the plate in the first three innings, as the Irish struck out two and forced four other Bulls to send fly balls to the Notre Dame outfield.

During those three innings, Notre Dame tallied three hits and scored one run as Mike Dury hit a home run in the second inning for the Fighting Irish's first, and only, run of the game.

In the fourth, senior Ty Taborelli notched the Bulls' first hit of the game, a single to left field, but USF was unable to bring the left fielder around to score.

In the seventh and eighth, two Bulls reached base, but again, USF was unable to score any runs. Butler drew a walk in the seventh, and in the eighth, senior Nick Cardieri was hit by a pitch.

Junior Davis Bilardello came in to relieve Otero in the eighth, pitching one-third of the inning, forcing one batter to pop up to junior Walter Diaz at shortstop.

In the ninth, Diaz opened the inning with a single to left field, but three strikeouts ended the game for the Bulls.

Butler was 1-for-2 while Diaz and Taborelli were both 1-for-4 in the game.

USF continues the series with Notre Dame Saturday afternoon at noon, then again at noon on Sunday at Frank Eck Stadium in Notre Dame, Ind.