| |
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
R
|
H
|
E
|
|
Mercer
|
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
2
|
6
|
1
|
|
USF
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1
|
7
|
2
|
| Pitching |
IP
|
H
|
R
|
ER
|
BB
|
SO
|
| W - Love (5-0) |
7.0
|
7
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
4
|
| L - Fontanez (0-4) |
8.0
|
5
|
2
|
2
|
1
|
8
|
| SV - Guyer(1) |
2.0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
1
|
| Batting Leaders |
AB
|
R
|
H
|
RBI
|
BB
|
Misc.
|
| Mercer- Tanis |
3
|
0
|
2
|
2
|
1
|
2B
|
| USF - Sim |
4
|
0
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
2 2B
|
|
|
Up Next:
vs. Mercer| March 20| 7 p.m. | Red McEwen
|
|
|
TAMPA- The University of South Florida baseball team could not get the bats going in a 2-1 loss to the Mercer Bears in game one of a three series at Red McEwen Field.
USF got 8.0 solid innings out of ace Randy Fontanez, who had his longest outing of the season. Fontanez allowed just five hits and two runs while striking out eight Bear batters.
The eight-inning effort was the longest of the season for Fontanez, eclipsing his 7.0 inning performance against Oklahoma earlier in the year. Fontanez' eight strikeouts tied a season high. He also struck out eight Buckeyes against Ohio State in the Big Ten/Big East Challenge.
Fontanez was relieved by Kyle Parker and Kevin Quackenbush, who combined to throw a scoreless ninth inning.
The USF pitching staff racked up 11 strikeouts, marking the second consecutive game in which the Bulls have recorded double-digit strikeouts as a team. The Tampa team stuck out 14 against UCF on Tuesday.
The Bulls collected seven hits on the night, and had a total of 12 base runners, but could not get the timely hit. USF left nine on base throughout the game.
The Bulls would out-hit the Bears, but committed two errors while Mercer had just one miscue.
Junior catcher Eric Sim collected three hits on the night, including a pair of doubles. Sim has recorded three hits in three separate games so far this season.
With two outs in the top of the 3rd, Fontanez and the Bulls were about to secure their second straight 1-2-3 inning until a single by Mercer's Nick Dimauro through the right side. Jacob Tanis followed with a double to the right-center gap that gave Mercer an early 1-0 lead.
The Bulls responded in the bottom half of the 4th, as Lockwood singled up the middle, and Koscso reached on an error by the shortstop. One out later, Stephen Hunt connected on a first-pitch fastball and lined it into right. Lockwood was beat the throw to home and the score was tied at 1-1.
Mercer added another two-out run in the top of the eighth, as Tanis collected his second RBI of the night on a single up the middle that scored Tyler McCarty.
USF and Mercer will meet in game two of the series on Saturday at 7 p.m. Eastern. Junior LHP Andrew Barbosa will take the mound for the Bulls.
GAMENOTES:
-USF got 8.0 solid innings out of ace Randy Fontanez, who had his longest outing of the season. Fontanez lasted 8.0 innings allowing just five hits and two runs while striking out eight batters.
-The eight inning effort was the longest of the season for Fontanez, eclipsing his 7.0 inning performance against Oklahoma earlier in the year. Fontanez' eight strikeouts tied a season high, as he struck out eight Buckeyes against Ohio State in the Big Ten/Big East Challenge.
-Fontanez was relieved by Kyle Parker and Kevin Quackenbush, who combined to go one inning and allow just one hit and no runs while striking out three
