TAMPA - The University of South Florida baseball team (8-11) fell victim to a pair of solo homeruns including one in the top of the tenth inning as the Bulls dropped a 2-1 decision in 10 innings to visiting Bethune-Cookman Saturday evening at the USF Baseball Stadium.

Designated hitter Nick Johnson ledoff the tenth inning with the eventual game winner, an opposite field solo homerun off Bulls reliever Trey Dahl.  

Similar to last night in Daytona, the Bulls jumped out to an early lead doing the damage with two down. Juniors Sam Mende and Andrew Longley were both hit by pitches to put two on for sophomore Chad Taylor. Taylor would deliver, sending a grounder right back up middle to easily score Mende without a throw.

From there Bulls starter Randy Fontanez and Bethune-Cookman's Bryan Rivera would engage in a pitcher's duel.

Fontanez cruised through the first 5.2 innings allowing just three hits. With two-down in the fifth, Fontanez made his lone hiccup of the night as junior catcher Pat O'Brien sent a full-count offering over wall in left-center to even the game at one.

Fontanez would not factor in the decision despite allowing just one run, scattering five hits over the span of seven innings of work. He tied his season high in strikouts with eight while not walking a batter. Fontanez has not walked a batter in his last 31.1 innings pitched spanning over four starts.

Andrew Loynaz and Kevin Quackenbush worked scoreless innings in the eighth and ninth setting up a golden opportunity for the Bulls in the bottom of the ninth.

Taylor and fellow sophomore Jimmy Falla singled to lead off the inning to put two on for sophomore Alex Mendez. Mendez tried uncessfully twice to sacrifice, the runners over. The third time proved to be the charm as he bunted the ball just to the left of the mound. BCU reliever Chris Anselmo tried to get the lead runner, Taylor, at third but Taylor beat the throw and in doing so loaded the bases with no outs.

But the Bulls could not cash in.

Luis Llerena grounded in to a fielders choice with Taylor forced out at home for the first out. With the bases still loaded freshman James Ramsay hit a liner right off the shoulder of Anselmo. Anselmo recovered and got the force out at home for number two. Anselmo got Koscso swinging with a pitch in the dirt for the final out of the inning.

The Bulls will look to salvage a split as they send LHP Matt Reed to the mound in the finale of the four game series. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. at the USF Baseball Stadium.

Game Notes
Tonight's attendance:1,348... The game was played in 2:38... USF outhit the Wildcats on the night, 8-7... Sophomore Jimmy Falla made his first start of the season at first in place of junior Todd Brazeal, who had previously started all 18 games this season... Chad Taylor's first inning RBI single extended his hit streak to four games... Taylor is six for his last 14... Quackenbush has not allowed a run or a hit in his last 5.0 innings of work... The two-hit game for Mende is his fourth straight multi-hit game in a row and the 50^th of his career...   He has hit safely in eighth straight games... He is 15 for his last 32 over the span... Fontanez has not walked a batter in his last 31.1 innings of work...Fontanez made his 46^th career start and he is now in sole possession of 10^th on the Bulls all-time start list...  Eighth strikeouts puts him at 250 for his career, one shy of 8^th place all-time... Koscso was hit by a pitch for the 66th time in his career.