Feb. 24, 2012
Final Stats
Reach Baseball Contact Michael Stambaugh for more details by E-Mail
TAMPA, Fla. – Bethune-Cookman (2-3) suffered an 8-5 defeat, Friday night at USF Baseball Stadium, taking a loss in the series opening game with South Florida. Despite collecting four key RBI, including two early home runs, the Wildcats couldn't overcome late errors and miscues against the Bulls.
“Every time we scored and got back into the game,” said Head Coach Jason Beverlin, “we just gave it back to them. We've got to do a better job of taking care of the baseball, and doing the little things.”
B-CU surrendered a sacrifice fly for the game's opening score in the first inning, followed up in the second inning by Jimmy Falla cracking USF's second homer of the season in a high drifter that came dangerously close to foul territory.
The Wildcats were quick to respond, putting runs on the board in consecutive innings, while holding the Bulls to create the 2-2 tie. On the second pitch of the third inning, Carlos Delgado countered USF's scores with a home run beyond the left field fence. Following suit in the fourth, with a 1-1 count, David Lee went yard to right, clocking the year-old LCD video board, shutting down a 15-foot tall swath on the screen for the rest of the night.
USF rattled off four runs in the bottom of the fifth on four hits, aided by two Wildcat errors, to go up 6-2.
A USF pitching change opened the door for B-CU in the top of the sixth, as Bulls' reliever Andrew Loynaz hit three of four B-CU batters including one score before retiring from the mound with bases loaded. The Wildcats added another run on a double play.
After holding USF in the bottom half, B-CU brought the deficit to just a single run with a Lee RBI single up the middle in the seventh.
Struggles on the mound opened the door for USF to close out the game, and the Bulls stepped through, adding two runs in the bottom of the seventh, and holding the Wildcats to just one hit in the final two frames, claiming the 8-5 win to open up the three-game series.
Offensively, B-CU had some high points in the game, led by David Lee, who hit 2-3 with 2 RBI, including his first homer of the year. Brashad Johnson was also 2-3, scoring one run, while Brandon Turner quietly went 2-4 on the night.
“At times we hit the ball well,” said Beverlin, “but the name of the game really, to go as far as you want to go at the end of the year, is pitching and defense. We've just got to get more consistent with that.”
The starters for each team became the pitcher of record, with Joey Lovecchio (1-0) earning the record for USF, and Montana Durapau (0-1) taking the loss with five innings pitched and three strikeouts. USF's Ray Delphey also picked up a save for his game closing role in the night.
The Wildcats have proven themselves to bounce back from tough losses, and that is exactly what will be expected of them as they continue this series tomorrow night at 6:00 p.m., again at USF Baseball Stadium.
###
