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By TOM ZEBOLD

USF Senior Writer

TAMPA, MARCH 5, 2014 – Jimmy Herget and the USF pitching staff gained a lot of confidence facing No. 2 FSU, but the Bulls' bats stayed quiet in a 4-1 loss before a crowd of 2,261 at USF Baseball Stadium on Wednesday afternoon.

Herget (2-2) struck out five and gave up eight hits in five innings. The sophomore right-hander from Tampa was charged with four runs, but none of them were earned because of the Bulls' mishaps in the first inning.

“We dropped two fly balls. You've got to catch the ball and it's a shame Herget is walking out of here with a loss,” head coach Lelo Prado said. “We had plenty of opportunities and didn't take advantage of them.

"They're a good team and I said it before we started, 'You've got to stay away from the big innings and you can't give them extra outs,'" Prado added. "Today we gave them extra outs and they took advantage of it, that's why they're ranked No. 2 in the country.”

USF (9-4) chipped away at the lead in the bottom of the first when Buddy Putnam picked up his second RBI of the two-game series with a single that drove home Kyle Teaf, who led off with a single. Teaf and designated hitter Hayden Kelley each went 2-for-4 in USF's second straight loss to the Seminoles (10-1).

The Bulls kept the game close in the later frames thanks to stellar outings from relievers Lawrence Pardo and Jordan Strittmatter. Pardo, a senior left-hander from Miami, struck out four and didn't allow a hit in three scoreless innings before Strittmatter, a junior right-hander from Daytona, Fla., pitched a perfect ninth inning.

“Everybody pitched well. There are a lot of positives we can take from this, but they better not be satisfied with losing, 4-1, to Florida State,” Prado said.

Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston went 1-for-4 with an RBI and pitched out of trouble in the ninth to secure his second save. Leadoff batter Levi Borders reached safely thanks to a fielding error by third baseman Jose Brizuela, but second base was as far as Borders went because of two groundouts and a fly out by the Bulls.

USF stranded eight runners and hit into two double plays, including one in the fourth inning after starting the frame with two on and no outs.

USF will finish up the week at home with a three-game series against Northwestern that begins 7 p.m. Friday back at USF Baseball Stadium. Saturday's game is scheduled for 6 p.m. and Sunday's series finale is set for 1 p.m. Purchase tickets for the series HERE.