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Tampa (April 22, 2014) – USF tied the game at one in the seventh inning but FGCU scored four runs in the top of the ninth defeating the Bulls 5-3 Tuesday night at USF Baseball Stadium.

USF falls to 22-18 on the year, while FGCU improves to 27-15.

“That was a good ballgame,” said head coach Lelo Prado.  “We had a chance to win the game.  Give FGCU credit, they got four runs when they needed to and got the job done.”

Both teams were held scoreless until the fifth inning when FGCU plated a run on Nick Rivera's double to leftfield pushing across Colton Bottomley.

The Bulls threatened in the fifth and sixth innings but left a pair of runners on base each inning before tying the game in the seventh.  Austin Lueck doubled down the right field line, and Zac Gilcrease followed with a single into shallow centerfield to put runners on the corners.  Nik Alfonso then put down a safety squeeze bringing home Lueck and making it a 1-1 game. 

FGCU brought in Andris Gonzalez who struck out the next two batters to get out of the jam.

Each side went down in order in the eighth setting up the dramatic ninth inning.  Gage Morey started the rally with a chopper up the middle and moved up to second on a sacrifice bunt.  Alex Diaz then beat out an infield single setting up a first and third situation.  Jake Noll then put down a bunt to plate Morey and reached base as no one was covering first base.  Bottomley then homered to leftfield to give FGCU a 5-1 advantage.

USF didn't go down quietly in the bottom of the ninth as Lueck beat out an infield single with one out.  Zac Gilcrease cut the lead in half with a home run over the right field wall, the first of his collegiate career.  Andres Leal followed that up with a single to leftfield but a strikeout and fly out ended the game.

Brandon Lawson started the game going five innings allowing one run on five hits and striking out four.  Cody Hernandez tossed two scoreless innings while Jordan Strittmatter was struck with the loss.  Gilcrease went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored.  Lueck also had a multi-hit game going 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored.

FGCU used seven pitchers in the contest with none lasting more than two innings.  Gonzalez earned the win improving to 1-1 throwing 1.2 innings without allowing a run.  Bottomley went 3-for-5 with three RBIs with two runs while Noll went 2-for-5.

USF returns to the diamond on Friday, April 25 when it welcomes Memphis for an American Athletic Conference series.  First pitch is set for 7:00 p.m.