TAMPA, MARCH 26, 2016 – The University of South Florida (13-11) pitching staff had one of their best performances of the season, yielding just one run on four hits, in a 1-0 loss to Dartmouth (5-12) on Saturday night. Starting pitcher Brandon Lawson (Brooksville, Fla.) fired 7.0 innings of one-run baseball, but the lone run in the sixth proved to be the game winner.
“We gave up one run and it was in an inning that we had two quick outs,” said USF head baseball coach Mark Kingston. “This game was won with basically a hit by pitch and a key hit. And we didn't get a key hit tonight.”
The teams remained scoreless through the first five innings. Lawson worked around a leadoff single in the opening frame, stranded a runner on base in each of the first two innings, and then retired 12 consecutive Big Green batters. Dartmouth pitcher Duncan Robinson also left a runner on in the first and second before setting down as well.
The Big Green went ahead in the sixth on a Joe Purritano RBI single.
Down 1-0, the Bulls tried to tie the game in the bottom half. Infielder Kevin Merrell (Odessa, Fla.) reached by way of a hit by pitch and stole second but Robinson again left a runner in scoring position.
USF also threaten to even up the score in the seventh. First baseman Duke Stunkel Jr. (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.) led off the inning with a single but was erased from the bases on a double play. The Bulls also received a two-out single from designated hitter Luke Borders (Winter Haven, Fla.) but an overthrow and a subsequent rundown resulted in the final out of the inning.
It was the last USF opportunity to score as Robinson retired the final six hitters to even up the series.
Lawson (3-1) receives the defeat, despite surrendering just one run on a walk, a hit by pitch and three hits. His also struck out nine batters and has amassed 55 strikeouts in 39.0 innings this season.
Reliever Andrew Perez (Orlando, Fla.) threw the final 2.0 scoreless innings for USF. He also fanned two batters on the evening.
Four different Bulls totaled the four team hits in the game including Luke Borders and Stunkel Jr., who have extended their hitting streaks to five games each.
Infielder Coco Montes (Miami) finished 0-for-3, snapping his hitting streak at five games.
Outfielder Luke Maglich (Sarasota, Fla.) stole a base to improve his mark to 16-for-16 this season. Merrell's steal also made him 7-for-7.
USF will look to win the series with Dartmouth on Sunday. The Bulls will have right-hander Joe Cavallaro (Venice, Fla.) on the mound against Big Green righty Michael Danielak. First pitch is set for noon at USF Baseball Stadium.
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The University of South Florida baseball team is one of the fastest rising programs in the country. Under the guidance of first year head coach Mark Kingston, the Bulls reached the NCAA Regionals last season for the first time in 13 years and USF followed that success with a consensus Top 10 recruiting class. The team returns outfielder Kevin Merrell, who was named an NCBWA Freshmen All-American last season after leading the Bulls in batting average (.346), runs (45), hits (83) and stolen bases (21). Senior catcher Levi Borders and senior outfielder Luke Maglich were both selected to the 2016 Preseason All-Conference Team in the AAC. The USF Baseball program has won five conference titles and the Bulls have made 11 NCAA appearances. Follow the baseball team on social media (Twitter | Facebook | Instagram) and visit GoUSFBulls.com for the most up-to-date information.
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