Brotons-Mende Play Highlights USF's 3-1 Loss
February 26, 2009 | Baseball
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FORT MYERS -- In the second inning of the University of South Florida's 3-1 loss to Boston College, junior second baseman Peter Brotons and freshman shortstop Sam Mende put together a "Web Gem" worthy of ESPN's Baseball Tonight.
The play of the game came when second baseman Brotons made a diving backhanded stop to his left, then, with his glove, flipped the ball to Mende, who threw the ball to first for the 4-6-3 out.
Click here to see the play
The Bulls (1-3 overall), though, couldn't build off of the play, dropping their first game of the Florida Gulf Coast Classic in Fort Myers, Fla.
Boston College (5-0) jumped out to an early lead with three runs in the first inning, connecting on three hits and being hit by two pitches. The Bulls got on the board in the sixth, scoring one run on a bases-loaded pickoff throwing error by the Eagles. Both teams were held scoreless the final three innings.
Sophomore pitcher Randy Fontanez pitched the complete game, striking out four, but allowing three runs from six hits in his eight innings on the hill. After the first frame, Fontanez only allowed three hits over his final seven innings of work.
JB MacDonald earned the win for BC, striking out eight while allowing one run on three hits. Mike Belfiore collected his third save of the season, pitching the ninth.
Offensively, sophomore thirdbaseman Jonathan Koscso paced the Bulls with a 2-for-3 game. Ninth-inning pinch hitters Todd Brazeal and Daniel Rockhold each collected a hit in their one at bat. Junior second baseman Peter Brotons was the only other Bull to record a hit.
USF was held to the minimum number of batters until the fourth inning when Koscso belted a double down the left line, but the Bulls were unable to capitalize off their first hit of the game.
USF scored in the sixth, after senior Mike Consolmagno was hit by a pitch, Koscso singled, then Lockwood was hit by a pitch to load the bases. With sophomore Stephen Hunt at the plate, the Boston College catcher attempted to pick Consolmagno off of third base, but the throw pegged him in the back, sending the ball into left field and scoring USF's first and only run.
The Bulls will play three more games in Fort Myers this weekend in the Florida Gulf Coast Classic. USF faces Samford on Friday at noon, Florida Gulf Coast at 4 p.m. Saturday and Towson at noon on Sunday. USF is expected to throw Derrick Stultz Friday, Shawn Sanford Saturday and Matt Stull Sunday.
