Maruszak Guides USF To First-Ever BIG EAST Victory

[pdiddybull32]

Maruszak Guides USF To First-Ever BIG EAST Victory

Final Stats

TAMPA, Fla. (Friday, March 17) – A walk-off double by freshman shortstop Addison Maruszak guided the University of South Florida baseball team (9-10, 1-0 BIG EAST) to a 4-3 victory over the UConn Huskies (8-6, 0-1 BIG EAST) on Friday, March 17 at Red McEwen Field. With a runner on second, Maruszak crushed his seventh double of the season, sending the first pitch he saw to the wall in left field. Relief pitcher Nick Manganaro earned his first victory of the 2006, allowing just one hit in one inning of action versus the Huskies. The win marked the first-ever BIG EAST victory for the Bulls.

Registering 11 hits in the contest, USF was led offensively by senior Kris Howell (2-for-4) and sophomore Joey Angelberger (2-for-4). Howell drove in a run while Angelberger scored one and sparked the Bulls’ comeback in the seventh inning with a lead-off double – his four two-bagger of the season.

UConn’s catcher Larry Day went 2-for-4 while third baseman Erik Turgeon – a product of Palm Harbor, Fla. – batted 2-for-4 with an RBI.

Starter Casey Hudspeth went eight innings, allowing three runs on six hits while striking out three to earn a “no decisionâ€Â. Manganaro, who came in the game in the ninth inning, struck out one batter in his lone inning of relief.

Huskie reliever Joshua MacDonald suffered his first loss of the season, allowing one run on three hits in one and two-thirds innings pitched. Starter Tim Norton lasted six innings, allowing a season-high three runs on six hits. He was relived by left-hander Mike Tarsi in the seventh inning. Tarsi pitched just two-thirds of an inning before MacDonald came in the game.

USF jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. With Ty Taborelli on third and Maruszak on first, catcher Brian Baisley singled to right-center field, scoring the Bulls’ center fielder and giving USF the early advantage.

UConn answered with two runs in the top of the second. A triple by Matt Untiet with a runner on first scored the Huskies’ first run of the game. UConn added another run with an RBI-double by Turgeon to center field. The two-run second inning gave UConn a 2-1 lead. The Huskies added a run in the top of the fourth with an RBI-triple by Bryan Maler, scoring Pat Maloney from first base. The score extended UConn’s lead to 3-1.

USF rallied in the bottom of the seventh, scoring two runs and tying the game at 3-all. Angelberger got things started with a lead-off double. A bunt single by Dexter Butler advanced Angelberger to third. With runners on first and third, pinch hitter Matt McHargue hit a copping single to the pitcher, scoring Angelberger and drawing USF with one run. Butler, who advanced to second on the McHargue single, stole third base to put the tying run 90 feet away. A single by Howell to left-center field scored Butler from third and tied the game, 3-3, heading into the eighth inning.

UConn threatened in the top of the eight with runners on first and second and just one out. However, Hudspeth got Mahoney to ground into an inning-ending double play to keep the score knotted at 3-3.

In the bottom of the ninth, with a runner on second, Maruszak registered the game-winning hit, leading USF to its first conference win in its first-ever BIG EAST contest.

USF will continue its three-game series versus UConn with Game Two on Saturday, March 18. On the mound for the Bulls will be sophomore Daniel Thomas. Throwing for the Huskies will be left-hander Rich Sirois. First pitch for Game Two is scheduled for 1 p.m.

USF 4, UConn 3 (Mar 17, 2006 at Tampa, Fla.)

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UConn............... 020 100 000 - 3 7 1 (8-6, 0-1 BE)

USF................. 100 000 201 - 4 11 1 (9-10, 1-0 BE)

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Pitchers: UConn - NORTON; TARSI(7); MacDONALD (7). USF - HUDSPETH; MANGANARO(9).

Win-MANGANARO(1-2) Loss-MacDONALD (0-1) T-2:28 A-391

NORTON faced 2 batters in the 7th.

[USFMikeB]

Undefeated in the BE...

[USFan]

nice little win streak we have going..

[smazza]

at least we beat uconn in something