By TOM ZEBOLD

USF Senior Writer

TAMPA - Andrew Barbosa gave USF eight solid innings, but the Bulls' bats cooled off in a 3-2 home loss to Villanova on Friday night.

USF managed five hits and stranded 10 runners against a Wildcats solid pitching duo a game after it produced timely hits and two homers in a 5-3 victory at No. 2 Florida on Tuesday night.

"Our hitters didn't come out with the same intensity," head coach Lelo Prado said. "We're not going to win many games getting five hits."

The loss to Villanova in the opener of a three-game set at USF baseball stadium dropped the Bulls out of first place in the Big East after being tied atop the standings with St. John's and Connecticut. St. John's is now alone in first place after sweeping a doubleheader against Notre Dame on Friday.

"You have bring it every day," Prado said. "We're on top and they want to knock us down and they did that tonight."

USF (28-15, 11-5) brought it early against Villanova and grabbed a 1-0 lead in the third inning when leadoff man Alex Mendez hit an RBI single with two outs.

Villanova (24-19, 7-9) tied it up in the fourth and took a two-run lead in the sixth with RBI hits from Marlon Calbi and Kevin Wager.

The Bulls cut the deficit to a run in the bottom half of the inning thanks to a throwing error after Chad Taylor hit a hard grounder to Calbi at shortstop.  Todd Brazeal, who scored on the play, led off the inning with a walk and Andrew Longley put two on when the senior was hit by a pitch.

All three runs were earned against Barbosa (5-4) although the senior did give USF another quality start. The left-hander struck out 11, three off his season high, and scattered six hits before handing the ball to reliever Adrian Puig, who struck out two in a scoreless ninth.

Villanova also got solid outing out of a pair of pitchers in its fourth straight victory. Kyle Helisek (3-5) allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits in 5 2/3 innings. Matt Meurer followed with 3 1/3 scoreless innings with the Bulls managing two hits against the left-hander.

"When you leave a team like Villanova in a ball game, the longer they stay in the better they're going to feel about themselves," Prado said. "Their pitchers did a great job and they deserve to win."

The Bulls look to bounce back in the second game of the series that's slated for 6 p.m. Saturday back at USF baseball stadium.