TAMPA, Fla. (April 17, 2007) ? The University of South Florida (27-12) baseball team earned the school's hit by a pitch season record in Tuesday night's 10-5 victory over University of Central Florida (18-20) at Red McEwen Field. The Bulls were awarded their 65th HBP of the season in the eighth inning, breaking the previous record set in 2005.
In the second inning junior Joey Angelberger took a pitch on the elbow and in the eighth, freshman J.C. Suarez took one on the foot to earn the school record. Angelberger has been hit by eight pitches, which is second only to sophomore Addison Maruszak's 16.
Also in the 27th win of the season, junior Walter Diaz extended his hitting streak to 21 games with a two-RBI single to right center field in the second inning, giving USF the 4-3 lead. Diaz was 2-for-3 in the game, scoring three runs and driving in two while drawing two walks.
Junior Charles Cleveland was 3-for-4 with both an RBI and a run scored as freshman Ryan Soares connected on two hits, notching a pair of RBI.
After relieving starter James Rowe in the first inning, senior right handed pitcher Yuri Higgins improved to 5-3 after his 7.0-inning outing. Higgins threw six strikeouts while allowing one run from six hits and a walk.
UCF took the early lead by scoring three runs in the first inning, but USF scored five over the next two frames to go ahead of the Golden Knights.
Soares registered his 15th hit of the season to start the second-inning scoring rampage. A double from Cleveland, his second of the season, scored Soares. Angelberger reached the basepaths after being hit by a pitch then Diaz sent a single to right center, driving in two runs and giving USF the 4-3 lead.
Three consecutive drawn walks by senior Ty Taborelli, junior Dexter Butler and Maruszak scored another run before junior Brandin Daniel grounded into a double play to end the inning.
The Bulls allowed one run from two hits in the third inning, leaving three Golden Knights on base.
In the fourth, USF collected two hits and drove in three runs as Butler and Soares each sent base hits to right field. Butler notched one RBI and Soares collected two in the inning while Diaz drew a walk and Taborelli reached on an error.
Two innings later the Bulls concluded their scoring for the game tallying a pair of runs in the sixth as Maruszak and Soares each scored in the frame. Maruszak started the inning with a single to the left side then scored after a wild pitch and a throwing error from the Knights' catcher. Soares reached on a fielder's choice in time for Cleveland to send a base hit to right center field. Angelberger followed with a sac fly to right field, scoring Soares, who was USF's last run of the game.
The Knights scored one more in the top of the ninth, but USF held on to win the mid-week non-conference game by five.
The Bulls next host Rutgers, who lead the BIG EAST with a 9-3 conference record, April 20-22 at Red McEwen Field. The Bulls and Scarlet Knights play at 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, then at noon on Sunday in Tampa.
