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By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer
TAMPA, APRIL 26, 2015 – Head coach Mark Kingston's first-place Bulls are staying focused on the stretch run after falling short in Sunday's series finale against Houston.
After splitting a pair of tight ballgames, USF took an early lead but couldn't hold off the Cougars in a 6-2 loss at USF Baseball Stadium. Despite the setback, the Bulls (28-16-1, 9-6) are tied for the American Athletic Conference lead heading into an eight-game road trip.
“Yesterday's game could have gone either way and today's game got away from us late, but it will not change our resolve,” Kingston said. “Whether we won or lost today does not change our standing nationally or with all the things we're trying to accomplish at this point. Nobody is going to overreact. We're just going to continue to try to do the right things and stay the course. We'll get this thing where it needs to be.”
Kevin Merrell is a player the Bulls will rely on during their march to the postseason and the freshman stepped up once again by going 4-for-4 with two runs scored.
“He's a freshman that plays really hard and gets better every week. He's got the kind of tools we look for – speed, left-handed,” Kingston said. “We can play him in the outfield and we can play him at second base. We're very happy he's in our program.”
Starter Joe Cavallaro (3-2) scattered two hits and struck out six through four shutout innings and the right-hander from Venice, Fla., got some run support in the bottom half of the fourth.
Merrell led off with a single up the middle and Levi Borders put runners on the corners with a double down the right field line. Luke Borders put the Bulls on the board while grounding into a fielder's choice. Borders, a sophomore from Winter Haven, Fla., ranks second on the team with 37 RBI this season.
Cavallaro tied his single-game career high with seven strikeouts and exited with an out in the fifth inning after Kyle Survance put Houston ahead with a two-run triple. Survance extended the Cougars' lead to 3-1 a batter later by scoring on a sacrifice fly by Josh Vidales.
“Joe was better. He got us to the fifth but we expect our starter to be able to get us to the sixth and seventh,” Kingston said.
USF cut its deficit in half in the sixth inning with a clutch two-out single by Buddy Putnam, who went 2-for-4. Merrell led off with his third hit of the game and Luke Borders put runners on first and second with a one-out single to left field. Merrell scored his second run of the game when Putnam, a senior from Bartow, Fla., ripped a 2-2 pitch to the opposite field in left. Putnam is the third Bull to drive in at least 30 runs this season.
Houston (29-15, 9-6) moved into a tie for the league lead with the Bulls, Memphis and East Carolina after adding two runs in the seventh and another in the eighth. The Cougars got a strong start from left-hander Seth Romero (5-3), who struck out nine and gave up two earned runs on seven hits in six innings.
Now the Bulls turn their attention to their road trip that begins with a three-game series at UCF, starting Friday, May 1 at 6:30 p.m. in Orlando. The Bulls face Florida in Gainesville on Tuesday, May 5 before heading to New Orleans for a three-game set at Tulane May 8-10. USF finishes up the road trip at Jacksonville on Tuesday, May 12.
“It should be a lot of fun, that's our approach. A lot of good baseball here late and we're going to make the most of it,” Kingston said.
Catch the Bulls at home May 14-16 against UCF in the final series of the season at USF Baseball Stadium. Purchase tickets HERE.
Bulls Support Vs. Cancer Foundation
After the conclusion of Sunday's game, the Bulls supported the Vs. Cancer Foundation by shaving their heads in the middle of the infield with a large group of fans on hand. Head back to GoUSFBulls.com on Monday for a full recap of the special event.
For more information on the USF baseball team, follow @USFBaseball on Twitter.
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