USF wins shootout against FAU

USF 19, FAU 11

The South Florida baseball team (21-19, 8-10) scored a season-high number of runs in an inning with eight in the 10th. The Bulls also had season highs with 18 hits and 19 runs in the game as they earned a dramatic 10-inning win against the Florida Atlantic Owls (23-16) at FAU Field in Boca Raton.

The Bulls and Owls scored 30 total runs and combined for 31 hits in a wild game that lasted 4 hours and 35 minutes.

The USF bullpen – which had to get 29 of the 30 outs in the game – allowed just two earned runs in its first seven innings of work but imploded in the eighth inning, when a 10-5 USF lead turned into an 11-10 lead for the Owls.

Relievers Michael Anzivino, Stephen Hunt and closer Shawn Sanford combined to give up three hits, two walks and a go-ahead grand slam by Owls second baseman William Block.

“We have to finish games out. We are giving too many teams too many outs and we have to stop doing that,” USF coach Lelo Prado said.

Hunt redeemed himself in the bottom of the ninth, hitting a game-tying home run to right field. Hunt wasn’t done, though, as he doubled in the winning run during the 10th inning, deep to left field as center fielder Ryan Lockwood scored easily.

The Bulls put nine straight batters on base with one out as FAU closer Brett Cannon allowed six of the eight runs to come in without a single out in between.

Sanford closed out the game in the bottom of the 10th, getting the win and improving to 5-4 for the season after allowing an earned run in 2 1/3 innings. He also got the blown save.

USF freshman Matt Stull had his shortest outing of the year, lasting only 1/3 of an inning.

Freshman Kyle Eastham pitched the following 3 2/3 innings and allowed just one earned run, but had to leave the game after being hit on the side of the ear by a line drive from the bat of FAU left fielder Jeremy Griffiths.

“I was scared to death. He was bleeding a little bit from the side of his neck and his eyes rolled over, but the medical staff did a great job and he is OK now,” Prado said.

According to the USF Sports Information Department, Eastham was taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure but was unharmed and made the trip home with the team.

FAU starter senior Brandon Kloess lasted just two innings.

The Bulls loaded the bases in the third inning and first baseman Joey Angelberger hit his third grand slam of the year to give the Bulls a 4-3 lead.

Lockwood singled to center field with one out in the 10th inning to extend his hitting streak to 23 games. Lockwood went 1-for-6 and scored three runs.

The Bulls are nearing a unique record. Addison Maruszak was hit in the back in the 10th inning, giving the Bulls 90 hit batters in 40 games, nine shy of the all-time record of 99 that USF set last season in 60 games.