DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. ? Freshman outfielder Ryan Lockwood was 3-for-5 at the plate in the University of South Florida's 8-4 loss to the Bethune-Cookman Tigers Wednesday night.
USF drops to 3-5 this season and BCU improves to 5-3 after the non-conference matchup in Daytona Beach.
Lockwood led off the game with a single up the middle, recording his eighth hit of his rookie season. In the seventh, Lockwood doubled to right field, then in the eighth, he drove in USF's third run with a single up the middle.
Lockwood's 10 hits this season are second-best on the team, behind junior shortstop Addison Maruszak's 11.
After Lockwood's first-inning single and a stolen base, the Jesuit High graduate scored on a sac fly from Maruszak. Bethune-Cookman then recorded eight runs over the next four innings before USF tallied a run in the top of the final three innings.
In the seventh, Lockwood's double and a pair of walks to freshmen Jonathan Koscso and Stephen Hunt loaded the bases for the Bulls. A sacrifice hit from senior Eric Baumann scored Lockwood, USF's second run of the game.
An inning later, junior Brandon Smith was hit by a pitch, and a single from Lockwood scored Smith as Lockwood picked up his sixth RBI of the season.
BCU dealt the Bulls two walks to start the ninth, then a sac fly from junior catcher Corey Johnson scored Maruszak, USF's final run.
USF's starting pitcher, Derrick Stultz, was tagged with the loss, as he struck out four and allowed four runs from as many hits in three innings. Freshmen Junior Carlin (1.0 IP) and Doug Wagner (3.0 IP) each struck out two and senior David Torcise sat down one in the bottom of the eighth.
On Friday, the Bulls return to Red McEwen Field to begin a three-game weekend series with Savannah State. The Bulls and Tigers start the weekend Friday at 7 p.m., then will meet again Saturday at 7 p.m. Sunday's first pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
