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By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer
CLEARWATER, MAY 19, 2015 – Luke Maglich put together a monster game at the plate with a three-run homer and four RBIs as USF powered past Memphis, 10-6, in the opening game of the American Athletic Conference Baseball Championship on Tuesday at Bright House Field.
USF (33-22-1) scored its first seven runs with two outs and the offensive outburst helped the fourth-seeded Bulls move into the winner's side of the bracket at the double-elimination tournament. USF gets a day off before facing top-seeded Houston on Thursday at 3 p.m.
“At this time of year every game matters. At this point it's not about winning pretty, it's about finding way to get it done and we did that today,” assistant coach Mike Current said. “We had a lot of huge, two-strike RBIs, two-out RBIs, and we just did a lot of things that win ballgames for you.”
Extra-base hits helped the Bulls grab a 2-0 lead in the first inning and Kevin Merrell, who went 3-for-4, got things started with a one-out double down the right field line. Merrell (Odessa, Fla.) scored two batters later on an RBI single by cleanup hitter Levi Borders (Winter Haven, Fla.). Buddy Putnam (Bartow, Fla.) continued USF's two-out rally with an RBI double to right field.
Following a 1-2-3 first frame, fifth-seeded Memphis (35-20) got back to even ground with a two-run second inning. Jake Little hit an RBI single and Nate Rupiper sent another runner home on a fielder's choice before USF starter Jimmy Herget (Tampa) got back into his groove on the mound.
The Bulls' two-out magic continued in the second inning thanks to the powerful bat of Maglich. Austin Lueck (Daytona, Fla.) and Kyle Teaf (Tallahassee) were in scoring position when Maglich rocketed a three-run homer over the wall in right field to give the Bulls a 5-2 lead. Maglich (Sarasota) went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and has eight homers in his junior season.
“I thought I saw the ball well my first at-bat and just saw how he pitched other lefties in the lineup the first time through,” Maglich said. “The second at-bat I went up there with a game plan. I got a pitch I wanted to hit and I was able to get it.”
Memphis cut its deficit to 5-3 with an RBI single by Tucker Tubbs in the top of the third and two USF errors helped the Tigers tack on another run in the fifth inning.
USF continued to produce with two outs in the bottom of the fifth when Luke Borders (Winter Haven, Fla.) laced a two-run single to center field that gave the Bulls a 7-4 lead. Borders was the final batter for Memphis starter Alex Gunn, who was charged with seven earned runs on eight hits in 4.2 innings.
Tuesday's slugfest continued with another big inning from Memphis in the sixth when Darien Tubbs hit a two-run triple into the gap in right-center that cut USF's lead to 7-6. Herget (9-3) wound up with the win after striking out eight batters and giving up five earned runs on nine hits in six innings of work.
The Bulls answered right back in the bottom of the sixth by scoring three more runs. Teaf continued the Bulls' hot day at the plate with an RBI triple and the senior shortstop trotted home one batter later on a passed ball. Maglich extended the lead to 10-6 with a one-out RBI single to right field.
USF's bullpen shut the door on a Memphis comeback and it all started with two innings of one-hit ball from sophomore right-hander Michael Farley (Valrico, Fla.). Sophomore right-hander Tommy Peterson (New Port Richey, Fla.) finished the job by pitching a scoreless ninth inning in USF's third straight victory.
Tickets for Thursday's game are $8 for adults and $6 for students, seniors, children and military members. Purchase tickets at the Bright House Field ticket office or watch the game online on the American Digital Network.
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