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TAMPA (March 27, 2015)— The USF baseball team scored eight runs for the third straight game, picking up an 8-4 victory over Cincinnati Friday night at the USF Baseball Stadium. 

The Bulls have now won their conference opener in each of the last 14 seasons. The last loss came in 2001 when USF opened conference play against Tulane.

Jimmy Herget (5-1) was back in top form, striking out 11 and giving up just one hit in six shutout innings to earn his fifth win of the season.

The Bulls struck in the first inning thanks to an RBI double by Luke Borders. Kyle Teaf led off the inning, reaching on an error before advancing on a sacrifice bunt by Kevin Merrell. With two outs, Borders dropped a double in the gap in right center to bring home Teaf.

USF exploded for four runs in the bottom of the fourth. Putnam led off the inning with a double to right field before being erased on a Portales fielder's choice. Andres Leal singled to bring home Luke Maglich who reached base on a hit by pitch. Austin Lueck followed Leal's single with a single of his own to score Portales and put the Bulls up 3-0.

Cincinnati attempted to turn a double play and end the inning, but an error by the shortstop allowed Teaf to advance to second and score Leal. Merrell singled up the middle to score Teaf and push the Bulls' lead to 5-0.

The Bulls scored again in the fifth on a two-out single by Daniel Portales to score Putnam.  In the sixth, Lueck hit his fourth home run of the season and Levi Borders hit an RBI single to put USF up 8-0.

Cincinnati broke up the shutout attempt with a run in the seventh inning. The Bearcats tacked on another three runs in the ninth on a bases-loaded single by Ryan Noda and an RBI single by Ian Happ.

Merrell went 3-for-4 at the plate with a run and an RBI, while Lueck was 2-for-4 with a run and two RBI. Lueck's homer in the sixth was the Bulls' 16th of the season and the seventh home run in four games for the team.

David Orndorff took the loss for Cincinnati, giving up eight runs on 10 hits while striking out two.

The Bulls and Bearcats are back in action on Saturday, March 28 at 6:30 p.m. for the second game of the series. RHP Casey Mulholland will be on the mound facing off against RHP Andrew Zellner.

For more information on the USF baseball team, follow @USFBaseball on Twitter.

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