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By TOM ZEBOLD

USF Senior Writer

CLEARWATER, MAY 21, 2014 – Fifth-seeded USF's American Athletic Conference Baseball Championship run started with a 10-0 loss to fourth-seeded Rutgers in seven innings Wednesday night.

USF (26-30) faces a must-win situation 3 p.m. Friday when it continues pool play against Louisville (43-13) back at Bright House Field.

“It's baseball, you've got to put it behind you and go play because guess what, Louisville will be ready to play also,” head coach Lelo Prado said. “They know there is not much room for error and they have to be ready to go.”

The Bulls used a total of four pitchers against Rutgers after starter Casey Mulholland (4-3) gave up seven runs (six earned) on seven hits in 2.1 innings. Senior Janick Serrallonga (Hialeah, Fla.) finished the night by tossing a scoreless sixth inning.

Rutgers took a 1-0 lead in the first inning and seized control of the game with an eight-run third that included an RBI double and a solo homer by senior Brian O'Grady. The Scarlet Knights (30-23) have won 11 of their past 12 games.

“Give Rutgers credit, they were swinging the bats and they played good defense,” Prado said.

Junior Kyle Teaf (Tallahassee) and Levi Borders (Winter Haven, Fla.) produced USF's two hits on a night Prado said the Bulls must quickly put in the rear-view mirror.

“We just didn't have it today. We didn't hit and in certain spots we didn't pitch. We didn't play good defense in certain spots,” Prado said. “This game will humble you real fast and they have to put it behind them.”

Ace right-hander Jimmy Herget (Tampa) will get the start against Louisville, which plays its first game of the tournament 3 p.m. Thursday against eighth-seeded Memphis. Herget (7-6) ranks second in the conference with a 1.28 ERA and was named to the All-American Athletic Conference First Team on Tuesday.