By KY-SHON HEPBURN

Special to GoUSFBulls.com  

TAMPA - The Bulls failed to get their bats going Sunday afternoon.

USF (4-2, 0-0) was unable to clinch its three-game homestand, falling to Bethune-Cookman, 2-0, before a crowd of 906 at the USF baseball stadium.

Brashad Johnson hit an RBI-single to give the Wildcats an early 1-0 lead in a three-hit first inning.

Freshman right fielder Buddy Putnam gave the Bulls their first hit of the game with a single to second base in the bottom of the second inning.

Starter Matt Reed pitched into a double play to help the Bulls escape the fourth inning with bases loaded allowing no runs to score.

Junior transfer Steven Leasure came in to relieve Reed in the top of the seventh inning.  Reed (0-1) pitched six innings allowing six hits, one walk and one run.

"Pitching has been great, but you have to be able to score runs," said head coach Lelo Prado.

The Wildcats extended their lead to 2-0 in the seventh inning on an RBI double to right-center by Josh Johnson.  Bethune-Cookman loaded the bases, but Leasure was able to escape the inning allowing only one run to score.

USF threatened in the ninth inning.  James Ramsay hit a bunt single and Putnam singled to left field, but the Bulls were unable to score any runs.  USF left seven base runners stranded.

"If we don't score runs, we can't win many games," said Prado.

The Bulls look to bounce back against UCF on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in Orlando.