TAMPA - Joel Core took a stellar start into the seventh, but a late Bulls rally was the difference as USF took the midweek contest, 4-1, Tuesday night in Tampa.
Starter
Joel Core and the Wildcats (17-15) held USF hitless through nearly five innings as B-CU took an early 1-0 lead off the bat of
Manny Souffrain, whose RBI single scored
Garrett Chun in the top of the fourth.
USF (20-13) finally gathered offensive momentum in the bottom of the seventh, taking the lead on a two-run homer before an RBI single made it 3-1.
The Bulls tacked on one more in the eighth on a pair of B-CU errors to make it 4-1.
The Wildcats threatened in the ninth , as back-to-back singles put runners on first and second with no one out. Three straight strikeouts ended the night with the Bulls holding on to the 4-1 win.
Joel Core finished the night tossing 6.1 innings in which he allowed three runs - two earned - on four hits with three walks and six strikeouts.
Pablo Torres and
Dylan Vega finished things out of the pen, combining for one unearned run on one hit with two walks and five strikeouts.
- Each of the first five B-CU bats in the lineup recorded at least one hit.
- Jorge Rodriguez and Jorge Gonzalez Febo each enjoyed multi-hit nights.
- B-CU walked only once as a team to 11 strikeouts
Another big SWAC weekend is on deck for B-CU as the Wildcats head to Montgomery to face the scuffling Hornets. First pitch of the three-game series is set for Friday, April 12 at 6 p.m. EST.
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--#HailWildcats--