| |
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
R
|
H
|
E
|
|
USF
|
5 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
7
|
11
|
1
|
|
RU
|
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
8
|
10
|
2
|
| Pitching |
IP
|
H
|
R
|
ER
|
BB
|
SO
|
| W - Smoral (4-0) |
3.1
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
4
|
| L - Cole (0-3) |
2.0
|
3
|
3 |
3
|
0
|
0 |
| SV - Gebler (3) |
1.0
|
2
|
0 |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Batting Leaders |
AB
|
R
|
H
|
RBI
|
BB
|
| USF- Rockhold |
4
|
1
|
2
|
4
|
0
|
| RU- Biserta |
5
|
2
|
3
|
1 |
0
|
|
|
Up Next:
vs. Rutgers| April 17 | 1 p.m. | Piscataway, N.J.
|
|
|
PISCATAWAY, N.J.- After jumping out to leads of 5-0 and 7-2, a grand slam from junior
Daniel Rockhold and a two-run homer from
Stephen Hunt were not enough as the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (19-13, 8-2) came from behind in the eighth inning to down the University of South Florida baseball team (16-17, 8-2), 8-7, Friday afternoon at Bainton Field in Piscataway, N.J.
The Bulls got things going early by getting on the board in the first jumping out to an early 5-0 lead.
With one out in the inning and the bases loaded, junior outfielder
Junior Carlin was hit by a pitch to push the first run of the afternoon across for the Bulls.
On the very next pitch, Rockhold cleared the bases with a drive deep over the right field fence to give USF an early 5-0 advantage. The grand slam was the first of Rockhold's career.
After Rutgers scratched off two runs in the bottom of the frame to make it 5-2, USF responded.
With one out and
Jonathan Koscso standing on second base, junior outfielder
Stephen Hunt sent a full-count offering from Rutgers starter Ryan Elsing over the wall in right center.
Hunt's team leading sixth homer of the season wrapped up the Bulls scoring on the day.
From there, Rutgers chipped away at the Bulls' lead by scoring two in the fourth and one in the seventh off of USF starter Randy Fontanez.
Fontanez battled with control issues over the course of six plus innings, allowing five runs, all earned, while scattering seven hits. He walked four batters and hit another two.
After escaping a no-out, bases-loaded jam in the seventh by yielding just one run, Bulls' reliever Joe Cole did not have similar luck in the eighth.
With one out in the eighth and a runner on first, pinch-hitter Joe Kapp homered on a 0-1 offering to right to even the game at seven all.
Two batters later, the Scarlet Knights took the lead for good when Pat Biserta sent a solo shot to right off Cole (0-3) to give Rutgers an 8-7 lead.
The Bulls did not go down in the ninth without a fight. USF put two runners on, but Alex Mendez' slicing line-drive to left was caught to end the game.
Jonathan Koscso collected three hits on the day, while Rockhold, Todd Brazeal and Chad Taylor all collected two hits apiece for the Bulls, who out hit the Scarlet Knights 11-10 on the afternoon.
With the loss, the Bulls fall into a tie for first place with Rutgers at 8-2 in league play.
The Bulls and Scarlet Knights continue their three-game series on Saturday afternoon with the first pitch slated for 1 p.m.
Game Notes
USF is 2-2 in road conference games... Despite the loss, the Bulls 8-2 record to start BIG EAST play is the best start since joining the conference... With his second inning home run, Stephen Hunt extended his hitting streak to 10 games while Daniel Rockhold has hit safely in his last seven games and Todd Brazeal has a six game streak of his own... Rockhold's home run was his fourth of the year and third of which that has come in BIG EAST play.
