STORRS, Conn. (March 30, 2007) ? The University of South Florida baseball team posted 20 hits in the Bulls' 16-1 victory over Connecticut Friday afternoon in Storrs, Conn.
Senior right handed pitcher Danny Otero (5-4) allowed six hits and one run in 7.0 innings against the Huskies. Otero struck out eight and walked just one of his 29 batters faced.
Seven Bulls recorded a multiple-hit game, including Joey Angelberger, Dexter Butler and Ryan Soares, who each had three hits.
USF's 20 hits are a season-high, one more than the 19-hit outing against Central Michigan on March 4.
Angelberger was 3-for-4 with two runs scored while Soares was 3-for-5 with two RBI and one run scored.
Junior Walter Diaz was 2-for-5, scoring four runs and notching three RBI in the game. He also drew two walks.
USF scored its first run of the game in the third inning after junior Brad Karns reached on an error and junior Josh LeRoy and sophomore Addison Maruszak each had base hits.
In the fourth, the Bulls batted around, beginning and ending the frame with junior Brandin Daniel. Daniel and Angelberger each singled to start the inning, but Karns hit into a double play, beginning a two-out rally.
Three of the next five batters drew a walk, including juniors Diaz, Butler and Charles Cleveland. Amongst the walks, LeRoy poked a two-RBI double to left field and Maruszak singled up the middle, notching his 22nd RBI of the season. Soares then sent a base hit to center field, tallying USF's final two scores of the five-run inning.
USF took a 9-0 lead in the top of the fifth, scoring three runs from two hits and three Husky errors.
Angelberger singled to the right side to start the inning, then Karns reached the base paths as UConn's centerfielder dropped a fly ball. Diaz singled to right field, picking up his second RBI of the game, then stole second base, his 10th of the season.
Butler reached on a throwing error by Connecticut's second baseman and Karns scored on the miscue. Maruszak tallied his third RBI of the game on a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Diaz on the play.
UConn registered its first run of the game in the bottom of the fifth, scoring one run off of two hits.
Otero posted six strikeouts over the first five innings, allowing one run and three hits.
USF batted around again in the sixth, scoring five runs from five hits and one UConn error.
In the sixth inning, five of the first seven USF batters earned a base hit. Soares sent a shot to left field, then Daniel reached on an error by the UConn second baseman. Angelberger, Karns and Diaz produced consecutive singles, with Karns (1) and Diaz (2) each earning RBI on the respective plays.
After LeRoy flew out, Butler notched his second hit of the game, a base hit to right field. Back-to-back walks from Maruszak and Cleveland tallied two more runs for the Bulls, who were leading the Huskies 14-1.
In the seventh, the Bulls scored for the fifth consecutive inning, increasing the margin to 15 runs.
USF made lineup changes in the seventh as senior Nick Cardieri, sophomore Mike Consolmagno, senior Ty Taborelli and freshman Victor Pina** each entered the game.
With two outs, Karns rocked his third-career home run over the right field fence. The bomb was Karns' first of the season.
Diaz and Taborelli drew back-to-back walks, then Butler singled to right field, earning his third hit and first RBI of the game. In the first at bat of his collegiate career, Pina reached on a fielder's choice.
In the eighth, sophomore right handed pitcher Matt Wagner came in to close the game for the Bulls. Wagner struck out one and allowed no runs in two innings.
USF was held scoreless in four innings, the first two and the last two of the game.
The Bulls and Huskies continue the three-game series Saturday at noon in Storrs, Conn., then conclude the BIG EAST match up at noon on Sunday.
