Box Score PDF | Season Statistics

Saturday, April 19, 2008   1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  Final USF   0  0  1  2  3  0  0  0  0  6 RU  0  0  0  1  0  2  0  0  1  4 Friday, April 18, 2008   1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  Final USF   1  0  2  0  1  0  2  0  1  7 RU  0  0  0  0  0  1  4  0  0  5

PISCATAWAY, N.J. ? The University of South Florida baseball team earned back-to-back wins over Rutgers with a 6-4 victory over the Scarlet Knights Saturday in New Jersey. USF won the first game, Friday night, 7-5.

USF, who was in sole possession of seventh place in the BIG EAST prior to the game, improves to 20-18 on the season and 8-9 in conference play. Rutgers drops to 13-21-1 overall and 5-9 in the league.

With USF up 6-4 in the bottom of the ninth, senior David Torcise entered the game with the bases loaded and two outs. Torcise got ahead in the count with a first-pitch strike, then fell behind, tossing a trio of balls. The RU batter skied Torcise's 3-1 pitch to shortstop to end the ballgame. Torcise now has a win and a save for the Bulls this season.

"That is the kind of situation you dream of as a kid," said Torcise. "I was pretty nervous up there, but I had to keep that deep down inside of me. I could hear everyone from both teams yelling at me. I heard our team telling me to get the job done. I just tried to focus on not trying to place the ball, but focus instead on throwing the ball. All I did was just throw it, and he got himself out."

Freshman starter Randy Fontanez improved to 3-3 with four strikeouts in seven innings. He allowed three runs from six hits while walking two in his ninth start. Fontanez faced only three batters in the odd-numbered innings, starting with two strikeouts and a fly out in the first inning.

"I felt good out there today, I was just trying to throw strikes and let them get themselves out," said Fontanez. "I had a lot of support behind me today and it was nice having the offense score for us."

Eight of USF's nine starters collected a hit, three of which picked up doubles. Bulls batters produced leadoff hits in the first five innings, with four singles and a double. USF posted 14 hits in the game, which is the fifth time this season the Bulls have tallied 14 or more.

Freshman Ryan Lockwood was 3-for-5, scoring one run and extending his hitting streak to 21 games. The three base hits are the fourth time he has collected a trio of hits during his streak.

Junior Addison Maruszak also tallied three hits, with a pair of singles and an RBI double in the fifth.

After being held scoreless through two innings, USF warmed up by scoring one in the third, two in the fourth and three in the fifth. In the mean time, Rutgers picked up one in the fourth and a pair in the sixth. With two outs in the ninth, Rutgers loaded the bases and scored one, but Torcise shut the door on the Scarlet Knights.

To begin the scoring, Junior Trey Manz put a ground rule double over the fence in the corner of right field to lead off the third, then moved to third on a sac bunt by freshman Jonathan Koscso. Maruszak grounded out to shortstop, scoring USF's first run of the game.

An inning later, Lockwood and senior Joey Angelberger started the fourth with consecutive singles, then freshman Stephen Hunt sent a base hit into center field to score the pair.

The fifth began with five hits and a sac bunt that scored three runs. Koscso singled up the middle, then Maruszak doubled to right, scoring Koscso. Junior Brandon Smith moved Maruszak around with a sac bunt, then a double down the left line by Angelberger plated Maruszak. Lockwood's one-out single up the middle scored Angelberger, giving USF the five-run edge.

Rutgers scored a pair in the sixth to close the lead to three, 6-3. USF threatened to score in the top of the ninth, loading the bases with a single and a pair of walks, but was unable to plate any runners. USF stranded eight runners throughout the game.

USF and Rutgers will take the field at 11 a.m. Sunday for the weekend finale. Listen to the Bulls and Scarlet Knights live on 1010 Sports as well as USF Press Pass Baseball Radio, with Garrett Walvoord handling the call.

Following the three-game BIG EAST series in New Jersey, USF travels to Boca Raton, Fla., on April 22 to wrap up its six-game stretch on the road. The Bulls and Owls battle at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, then USF returns to Tampa to host Stetson at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 23.