USF saw its early two-run lead against No. 26 FGCU disintegrate after the Eagles scored eight runs in the fifth inning of its 13-5 loss at the USF baseball stadium on Tuesday.
The Bulls were forced to call upon three relievers to close the top half of the inning, which lasted 47 minutes; the Eagles sent 14 batters to the plate over this period of time.
“We couldn’t stop the bleeding,” head Coach Lelo Prado said.
USF starter Mike Clarkson, who pitched four-and-a-third and recorded two punch-outs, gave up one run in the inning and left with the inning with two runners on base.
Junior relievers Alex Vetter, Nolan Thomas and Janick Serrallonga were unable to pitch around Clarkson’s leftovers to preserve USF’s 3-2 lead and combined to give up six runs on five hits.
“We have to pitch better than that,” Prado said.
Kyle Teaf kept busy at the plate and on the base paths even though his team fell behind in the ballgame
The sophomore shortstop went 3-for-4 and circled the diamond three times, accounting for three of the Bulls’ runs.
Teaf helped USF jump out to 3-0 lead early by scoring a run via sac fly in the first and gaining two RBI’s by shooting a double down the left-field line in the second inning.
Teaf and the Bulls (13-12) will play Georgetown (15-8) in a three-game set which begins at 1 p.m. on Thursday.
