Tampa (March 11, 2020) – The USF baseball team fell to Florida A&M in extra innings Wednesday night, 5-4.

After three scoreless innings to kick off the midweek battle. Florida A&M (5-10) got on the board first in the top of the fourth inning, 1-0.

USF (6-11) answered back in the bottom of the fifth to grab the lead from the Rattlers. Riley Hogan (Orlando, Fla.) hit a lead-off single up the middle to ignite the rally. Jake Sullivan (Tampa, Fla.) followed up with a single of his own to right center. Jordan Santos (Tampa, Fla.) drove in the first run for the Bulls with a single through the right side. A wild pitch moved Sullivan and Santos into scoring position and Dillon Besnier (Apollo Beach, Fla.) brought home Sullivan with a sacrifice fly to center. Alex Bello  (Miami, Fla.) recorded the third run of the inning with a single up the middle to score Santos.

The Rattlers plated two runs in the following inning to tie the game at three. The Bulls retook the lead in the bottom of the eighth inning when Nick Gonzalez (Tampa, Fla.) scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch.

Florida A&M forced extra innings after tying the game in the ninth on a LJ Bryant home run to left field. The Rattlers won the game after scoring a run in the 10th.

Connor Churchill (Tampa, Fla.) suffered the loss on the hill for the Bulls allowing two runs on three hits through 2.2 innings.
 
Notable

•  Riley Hogan went 1-for-2 with two walks and a run.
• Alex Bello drove in his first RBI of the season.
• Jordan Santos went 1-for-3 with an RBI.

 
Up Next
The Bulls will welcome Fairfield for a three-game weekend series, March 13-15.
 
About USF Baseball
The University of South Florida baseball program is one of the fastest rising programs in the country. The Bulls earned their third NCAA Regional berth in the last four seasons and had six all-conference selections in 2018. Four players were selected in the 2018 MLB Draft, including the program's fourth first rounder, pitcher Shane McClanahan. Third baseman David Villar was taken in the 11th round after being named first team all-conference and an All-American. 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 in head coach Billy Mohl first season 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 of the season. The USF Baseball program has won five conference titles and the Bulls have made 13 NCAA appearances.