JACKSONVILLE, FLA., MARCH 19, 2019 – Despite eight hits for both sides, the USF baseball team dropped Tuesday night's midweek matchup at North Florida, 7-2.  
 
The Bulls (11-8) were playing from behind early on, as the Ospreys (14-9) scored three runs in the first. USF didn't tally its first hit until a Kyle Phillips (Orlando) single to lead off the top of the fourth.
 
UNF doubled its lead with another three-spot in the bottom of the inning on just one hit. The Bulls finally threatened in the top of the sixth. Jordan Santos (Tampa) led off the inning with a walk, then Phillips beat out an infield single.
 
Classmate Joe Genord (Lake Worth, Fla.) walked to load the bags with no outs. Two batters later, redshirt sophomore Jake Sullivan (Tampa) drove a sac fly to center, scoring Santos to make it 6-1.
 
USF cut into the lead in the seventh, as Garrett Zech (Naples, Fla.) doubled down the left field line to move Alex Bello (Miami) to third. Santos grounded out, but it allowed Bello to score and make it 6-2. The Bulls had another opportunity in the top of the eighth with the bases load, but could not bring in a run. UNF was able to add to the edge with a run in the bottom half to attain another five-run lead.
 
Zech led off the ninth with his second double, but that was all the Bulls would get.
 
Key Stats
2 – Phillips, Zech and junior Austin Bodrato (Northvale, N.J.) each had two hits apiece.  

Nota-Bulls

• Zech's two doubles were a career high.
• Bodrato has hit in four-straight games, three being multi-hit games.
• Santos worked his conference best 19th walk of the season.

Up Next

The Bulls begin American Athletic Conference action Friday at home with a three-game series against Cincinnati. First pitch is set for 7 p.m.     

About USF Baseball
The University of South Florida baseball team is one of the fastest rising programs in the country. The Bulls reached the NCAA Regionals in 2015 for the first time in 13 years and followed that success with a 42-19 record and second NCAA regional trip in three years in 2017. The Bulls continued the success under first-year head coach Billy Mohl in 2018, reaching 36 wins and advancing to the semifinals of the conference tournament for the first time since 2012, while being ranked in multiple polls for the final two months. USF earned its third NCAA Regional berth in the last four seasons and had six all-conference selections in 2018. The team had four players drafted in the 2018 MLB Draft, including the program's fourth first rounder, Shane McClanahan. Junior third baseman David Villar was taken in the 11th round after tallying 24 doubles and hitting better than .370, being named first team all-conference and an All-American. The USF Baseball program has won five conference titles and the Bulls have made 13 NCAA appearances.
 
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