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By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer
TAMPA - USF head coach Lelo Prado description of Friday's series opener against Notre Dame said it all - "frustrating."
The aggressive Bulls had a very good Big East foe on the ropes all game but couldn't deliver the knockout blow, stranding 15 runners in an 8-3 loss to the Irish in 10 innings before a crowd of 1,277 at the USF baseball stadium.
"We had runners in scoring position the whole game," Prado said. "This game should have never gone to 10 innings, but we didn't produce. When you're playing good teams, you better."
There was a very big bright spot, however, in the Bulls' first league loss in four games this season.
Starter Andrew Barbosa struck out a season-high 14 batters and allowed only two earned runs on three hits in 6 2/3 innings. The 6-foot-8 lefty was coming off a 13 strikeout performance when he pitched six scoreless innings in a win over Georgetown last Friday.
Barbosa took a 1-0 lead into the seventh inning and extended his strong string of starts to four while returning to top form a season after having Tommy John surgery.
"What more are you going to ask from him?" Prado said. "When you're pitching a 1-0 ball game, every pitch counts and every at-bat counts, and he did a great job. The relievers did a great job."
Barbosa was on his game right away, striking out the final two batters to get out of a jam in the first inning and striking out the side in the second.
Daniel Rockhold gave Barbosa a huge lift with a solo home run just inside the foul pole in left field that gave the Bulls a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second. It was Notre Dame starter Will Hudgins' first earned run 25 2/3 innings and Rockhold's third home run of the season.
Hudgins' surrendered his first walk in 25 2/3 innings one batter later and Andrew Longley put runners on first and second with a single in the hole between shortstop and third with one out. Kyle Teaf grounded into a fielder's choice at second to move the runners over after Notre Dame's Frank DeSico bobbled a grounder that could have been an easy double play ball. USF's threat ended, however, when Luis Llerena flied out to left field.
Barbosa remained in his groove right after the run support, striking out two in the third and two more in the fourth to ring his total up to 10. The left-hander tied his total of 13 from last Friday by the fifth inning when the Irish failed to put the ball into play.
Barbosa's 14th K led off the bottom of the sixth and the senior helped out his own cause in the inning with a pickoff after a throwing error put Ryan Bull on first base. Barbosa had retired 16 straight before Bull reached base.
The Bulls (18-9, 3-1) packed the bags in the bottom of the sixth but couldn't scratch across a run despite sending seven to the plate.
The extended time on the bench may have caused Barbosa to lose his rhythm in his final inning. He gave up a single to lead off the seventh and hit the next batter, but got Winter Haven, Fla. native Trey Mancini to ground into a double play. Barbosa hit another with a pitch, walked a batter to load the bases and couldn't avoid the fatal mistake when he gave up a two-run double to Alex Robinson. The Irish grabbed a 3-1 lead on the play thanks to a throwing error and Barbosa's night was over.
USF's offense got busy again on the base paths in the bottom of the eighth when Rockhold was hit by a pitch and moved over to second on a single by Matt Hart with one out that marked the end of the Hudgins' start. Chris Norton's two-out walk loaded the bases for the Bulls and pinch hitter Buddy Putnam delivered the two-run single to tie the game off Cristian Torres. The Bulls reloaded the bases and almost got the go-ahead hit from Chad Taylor, whose line drive to center was swallowed up by a diving Charlie Markson.
Friday marked USF's first extra-inning game of the season after the Bulls loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth but stranded them all when Zac Gilcrease struck out to end the frame.
Notre Dame loaded the bases in the top of the 10th and delivered when Conor Biggio, son of longtime major leaguer Criag Biggio, drove in two with a single that sparked a five-run inning for the Irish (16-8, 4-0).
"The effort was there. It was a great ball game, a great college game, but we're not here for a great game. We're here to win ball games," Prado said.
The Bulls look to get even 6 p.m. Saturday when right-hander Joey Lovecchio (5-0) gets the start back at USF baseball stadium.
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