USF Drops Ninth-Inning Heartbreaker To Florida

[Brad]

Courtesy USF SID

USF Drops Ninth-Inning Heartbreaker To Florida

TAMPA, Fla. (Feb. 27, 2007) – The University of South Florida baseball team allowed seven runs in the top of the ninth to lose 10-5 to Florida Tuesday night at Red McEwen Field.  

The Bulls drop to 9-2 overall while the Gators are now 6-6 in 2007.  

USF opened the scoring in the game, notching two runs off of two hits in the bottom of the third. Junior Joey Angelberger doubled to center field and scored after sophomore Braulio Pardo reached on a Gator throwing error and a wild pitch to junior Walter Diaz. Diaz earned the RBI as Pardo crossed the plate for USF’s second run of the game.  

Florida cut the lead in half in the fourth, but the Bulls answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the inning. Sophomore Addison Maruszak notched his 14th hit of the season and scored as junior Charles Cleveland and Angelberger each slugged base hits up the middle. Angelberger recorded the RBI in the inning.  

In the fifth, Pardo doubled down the right filed line and scored the Bulls’ fourth run before Florida scored two more in the sixth, bringing the score 4-3 in favor of USF.  

The Bulls picked up what hoped to be the final run of the game as junior Dexter Butler, Maruszak and Cleveland each had base hits in the eighth, scoring Butler along the way.  

With BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week Danny Otero on the mound, USF looked to close out the game, but the Gators had another finale in mind, scoring seven runs from five hits and one USF error, taking the 10-5 lead in the ninth.  

As a heavy fog rolled across Red McEwen Field in the bottom of the ninth, junior Josh LeRoy singled to right field to keep the hopes of the 2,426 USF fans in attendance alive.  

Diaz followed LeRoy’s shot with a base hit of his own, and both players moved into scoring position after Butler grounded out to third base. Junior Ty Taborelli drew the walk to load the bases with two outs, and the Bulls trailing by five runs.  

Maruszak, who stepped to the plate 2-for-4 on the night, battled to a full count, but watched as the final Gator pitch hit the glove for a called strike and the 10-5 Florida win.  

Four Bulls notched two hits apiece (Butler, Maruszak, Cleveland and Angelberger) while Pardo scored two runs for USF.  

USF starter Matt Quevedo pitched 5.1 innings, striking out three and allowing three hits.

Otero (3-1) chalked up his first loss of the season in 1.2 innings pitched. Junior Davis Bilardello, freshman Shawn Sanford and senior Yuri Higgins each pitched for less than two innings, collectively facing 10 batters.  

USF next welcomes Central Michigan to Red McEwen Field March 2-4. The Bulls and Chippewas meet at 6 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday, then at Noon on Sunday.

[jg]

sucks

[ctbrown24]

badly

[inbull22]

horrible

[CoolBull1]

Pretty good game by the Bulls but the 9th inning was as difficult to watch as any I've ever seen.  Gators showed up to bat when needed; an error by the pitcher and an untimely balk/walk (didn't know that could happen) didn't help things. Fortunately....not a conference game.

[JoeB]

What was up with that balk/walk call?  I don't think it mattered too much, but I didn't understand the call.  Lelo didn't argue much, so it must have been the right ruling.

Error on the second batter of the 9th really came back to bite us.  Of course, earlier in the game we hit LaPorta than walked the next guy and both of those guys scored too.  Gotta win on Friday.

[GoBulls84]

That 9th inning was rough. He just stuck with Otero a little too long. I was surprised he didn't bring in Yuri to start the 9th

[bull2saintleo]

I see even though the Bulls lost (which sucked), the game drew 2,426 fans to the game.....any idea as to how the split between Bulls and Gators in the crowd were?

[smazza]

choke job

bulls and manager need to close out

this is why is pays to play a better schedule

[fishinBULL]

way more bulls fans than gators fans, impressively,

great game, very disapointing 9th inning >