USF gets swept by No.19 FSU
Despite several rain delays and opportunities to strategize, the Bulls were swept by the Seminoles (7-0) and fell to 1-5 on the season.
The Bulls trailed by eight early in the game and never found a way back into their Saturday matchup against the Seminoles, whichended in the eighth inning due to rain.
USFs senior starter JoeyLovecchio pitched two innings, gave up seven hits and was charged for the eight runs that FSU scored through three.
Lead-off walks in the first and second innings came back to haunt Lovecchio in his short appearance.
Lovecchio retired the two-and-three hitters after walking sophomore outfielder Josh Delph and then watched him score on an RBI double by junior catcher Stephen McGee.
Back-to-back RBI singles followed and then USFs senior catcher Chris Norton pinned senior centerfielder Seth Miller trying to steal second to limit FSUs scoring to three.
Lovecchio walked sophomore third baseman Jose Brizuela to begin the second inning, gave up a single to the next batter, and then watched Brizuela cross the plate after a two RBI double by Delph.
Lovecchio regained hiscomposure and escaped the inning after giving up two.
USFs three runs came from a sacrifice fly by junioroutfielder Chad Taylor in the fifthand a two-run homer bysophomore outfielder Austin Lueck in the sixth.
The Bulls gave up five more runs to the Seminoles in the eighth, and both teams hit the dugoutsafter a heavy shower forced umpires to call the game.
USF was shutout in its first game of Sundays doubleheader, 8-0.
Wild pitching and shakydefense put the Bulls behind by four after the first inning of play.
Junior starting pitcher NickGonzalez put the 1-and-2 FSUhitters on via hit by pitch, and a walk and a fielding error bysenior third baseman Kyle Copack followed, allowing Delph to score the first run of the ballgame.
A golden scoring opportunity opened up for the Bulls in the top half of the third after freshman second baseman John Sansone allowed Copack to reach first on a throwing error.
Senior outfielder AlexMendez stepped up to the plate with a chance to drive in USFs first run and grounded into a5-4-3 double play to end the inning.
The Bulls threatened to score in the fifth, but Mendez failed toexecute in his second chance to drive in a run and flew out to left field. This was the final scoringopportunity that USF received in the game.
FSU tacked on two runs in the sixth and seventh innings and freshman reliever Kenny Burkhead closed the door on USF in the ninth for the win.
USF pulled within two, but a costly walk and a solo blast helped FSU win 2-5 in the final game of the series.