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TAMPA (April 22, 2015)— Head coach Mark Kingston picked up his 200th career win and the Bulls matched their win total from 2014 with a 7-5 victory over Bethune-Cookman Wednesday night. Thanks to a win on March 11 over the Wildcats, the Bulls swept the season series.
“Right now, it's just about winning one game at a time,” Kingston said. “For this team, that's all that matters.
Tommy Peterson, named Tuesday to the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Watch List, picked up his conference leading 13th save of the year, giving up just one run on one hit in 1.2 innings of work. Ryan Valdes earned the win, giving up just three runs on five hits in 5.1 innings.
Unlike game one, which saw just one run scored between the two teams, Bethune-Cookman got out to an early lead with a three-run home run in the second. With two outs and just one on, an error at second base by Kevin Merrell put runners at the corners. Zack Olszewski hit a 2-1 pitch over left-center to put the Wildcats up 3-0.
“For whatever reason, we get off to slow starts offensively in these midweek games,” Kingston said. “But we stay the course and we get more comfortable and settle in and start to take really good at-bats.”
The Bulls (27-14-1) got on the board in the bottom of the third thanks to an RBI single from Luke Borders. Kyle Teaf led off the inning with his 34th walk of the season before advancing to second on a Kevin Merrell sacrifice bunt. A Levi Borders fielder's choice moved Teaf to third before coming home on Luke's RBI single.
USF took the lead in the bottom of the fifth, plating three runs on three hits. Lueck and Teaf both took free bases on a hit-by-pitch and walk, respectively. Kevin Merrell laid down his 19th bunt single of the season to load the bases with no outs for Levi Borders. On a 1-0 count, Levi ripped a single through the left side to plate two and tie the game.
Luke Borders grounded into a double play to put Merrell on third with two outs. Luke Maglich took a hit-by-pitch to put runners on the corners for Putnam. The senior came through with a single to plate Merrell and give USF its first lead for the game.
The Bulls got some breathing room in the sixth with a two-out rally. Lueck singled and stole second before scoring on a wild pitch. Merrell drew a walk and stole second and came home on a Levi Borders full-count double to left center to put USF up 6-3.
USF tacked on an insurance run in the seventh.
Teaf led off with a single up the middle for this first hit of the night before stealing second. Merrell then reached on an error by the first basemen that allowed Teaf to score all the way from second.
Bethune-Cookman (15-31) scored on an RBI double in the seventh and an RBI groundout in the ninth to earn its final two runs of the game.
At the plate, Teaf was 1-for-3 with two walks and three runs scored. Merrell and Lueck scored the other four runs as each had two. Levi Borders had a 2-for-5 night, driving in three runs.
The Bulls are back in action this weekend as second-place Houston comes to town. First pitch for Friday is slated for 6:30 p.m. and Saturday's 4:30 p.m. game will be televised on CBS Sports Network.
For more information on the USF baseball team, follow @USFBaseball on Twitter.
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