By TOM ZEBOLD

USF Senior Writer

TAMPA – The No. 20 Bulls were unable to avoid the series sweep at Seton Hall on Saturday afternoon.

Chris Norton collected two of USF's six hits in a 4-2 loss to a Pirates team that leads the nation with a 12-game winning streak.

Norton got the Bulls on the scoreboard with an RBI single in the fourth inning and James Ramsay's RBI single in the fifth cut the deficit in half.

USF (32-19, 15-6) had a runner on first with one out in the eighth when heavy storms delayed the game for nearly two hours in South Orange, N.J. The Bulls didn't put another runner on the rest of the way in only their second Big East series loss of the season.

Starter Joey Lovecchio (5-4) took the loss after giving up four earned runs on seven hits in five innings. The senior right-hander was looking for his third win in the past four starts.

Josh Prevost (5-2) gave up two earned runs and all six of USF's hits in the first 6 2/3 innings. Seton Hall (33-16, 16-5) now has full control of third place in the Big East standings while the Bulls dropped to fourth after starting the weekend in a tie for first.

The Bulls play the last road game of their regular season 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at FGCU. USF's final home series begins 7 p.m. Thursday against Rutgers. Friday's game is set for 7 p.m. and Saturday's finale begins at 1 p.m. at USF Baseball Stadium.