TAMPA (April 5, 2022) – The University of South Florida Bulls (18-11) dropped their first midweek game in four weeks, falling to the University of North Florida (11-19) on Tuesday night at USF Baseball Stadium, 13-10.
South Florida scored nine or more runs in a game for the 10th time this season, but suffered its first loss in such a contest.
Carmine Lane (Lake Placid) went 3-for-6 in the setback with three runs scored and three RBI. The redshirt-sophomore leads the American Athletic Conference with 36 RBI this season. Each of Lane's hits on Tuesday went for doubles and he became the first Bulls since 2018 to record a trio of doubles in a game.
Lane's third two-bagger of the night cleared the bases as part of a five-run seventh inning for USF which cut its deficit to 11-9 at the time. The Bulls trailed 3-1 after the opening inning of the ballgame and cut the Ospreys' lead to 3-2 in the bottom of the third, but USF was never able to fully dig its way out from behind.
The Bulls had some big chances in the game, but left the bases loaded twice and stranded 11 total base runners.
After USF cut its deficit to 3-2 in the third, UNF plated a pair of runs in the top of the fourth and went on to add at least one run in each of the three frames which proceeded the Bulls scoring to keep the lead just out of reach.
Drew Brutcher (Lakeland) went 2-for-5 with a walk and three RBI, including his team-leading 10th home run of the season. Nelson Rivera also went 2-for-5 in the game with a pair of RBI.
Notable
- Brutcher and Lane each have 11 multi-hit games this season.
- Lane leads the Bulls with 12 multi-RBI outings.
- Rivera has reached base safely in a career-high 16 consecutive games.
Up Next
The Bulls resume AAC action with their second straight weekend road trip. USF will travel to Tulane on April 8-10 with the series opener slated for Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET.
For tickets, please visit usfbullstix.com or call 1-800-Go-Bulls.
About USF Baseball
The USF Baseball program played its first season in 1966 and is entering its 57th season in 2022. Head coach Billy Mohl is entering his fifth season at the helm. The Bulls have made 14 NCAA Tournament appearances, including four since 2015, and earned their first-ever Super Regional berth in 2021. USF was ranked in the Top 25 by five different publications in the final 2021 polls, checking in as high as No. 16. The Bulls have won five conference tournament titles (3 Sun Belt, 1 Metro and 1 American) and six regular season championships (3 Sun Belt, 2 Metro and 1 C-USA). USF baseball players have been recognized with All-America honors 12 times, most recently with third baseman David Villar in 2018, and 18 have earned Freshman All-America accolades, most recently Drew Brutcher and Carmine Lane in 2021. Four players were selected in the 2018 MLB Draft, including the program's fourth first-round selection in pitcher Shane McClanahan, who made his Major League debut with the Tampa Bay Rays in the 2020 World Series and was the Rays' postseason game one starter in 2021.
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