SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. (May 11, 2007) ? The University of South Florida baseball team snapped its five-game losing streak Friday night in South Orange, N..J. as the Bulls beat Seton Hall 4-2 at Owen T. Carroll Field.
Senior right handed pitcher Danny Otero (8-6) earned his eighth win and fourth complete game of the season. Otero allowed seven hits and two runs while recording five strikeouts and just one walk in 9.0 innings. His 81 strikeouts are a team-high.
Sophomores Addison Maruszak and Braulio Pardo were each 2-of-3 with one run scored in the 22nd BIG EAST game of the season. Pardo also picked up an RBI after hitting a double in the fourth inning. Senior Ty Taborelli was the only other Bull to record a multiple-hit game.
The Bulls scored one in the first, then scored back-to-back runs in the third and fourth innings and added another in the eighth before the Pirates tallied two in the eighth to bring the score within two. USF held off Seton Hall in the final stanza to win 4-2, extending the Bulls' perfect 4-0 all-time series record against the Pirates.
With two outs in the top of the first, junior shortstop Walter Diaz drew a walk, then classmate Dexter Butler was hit by a pitch and Maruszak drew a walk to load the bases for Taborelli. Taborelli put down a bunt for a single, which scored Diaz and gave USF the 1-0 lead. Taborelli earned his 31st RBI of the season and Diaz scored his 53rd run of the year on the play.
In the third the Bulls recorded two hits to score their lone run. With one out, Maruszak singled to the right side then stole second base and advanced to third on a ground out by Taborelli. Junior outfielder Joey Angelberger sent a base hit up the middle to score Maruszak and double the Bulls' lead. Angelberger now has 26 RBI and Maruszak has scored 41 runs in 49 games.
An inning later, USF added another run to the scoreboard after Pardo doubled down the right line, advanced to third after senior Nick Cardieri grounded out to the Pirates' short stop and scored on a SHU passed ball. In the same inning, Diaz was hit by a pitch, USF's 91st of the year.
After four scoreless innings, Taborelli ran out a shot to the Pirate shortstop, then advanced to second as junior Brandin Daniel drew a walk. With two outs and two runners on, sophomore catcher Braulio Pardo recorded a hit with a long fly ball to right center, scoring Taborelli and picking up the Bulls' fourth run of the game.
Otero's shutout was spoiled in the eighth inning as the Pirates drew a walk, then a double to right field scored their first run of the BIG EAST contest. A single to center scored SHU's second run, but Otero struck out a Pirate batter to end the inning, his fourth K of the night.
Both teams were held scoreless in the final inning, as only seven batters stepped to the plate in the ninth.
The Bulls and Pirates will meet at 1 p.m. Saturday afternoon, then at noon on Sunday to round out the three-game BIG EAST series.
