The USF Bulls wrapped up their three-game weekend series against in-state foe FAU on Sunday. The Bulls salvaged one of the three games, taking down the Owls 13-6 on a beautiful day for baseball in Tampa.
Left-hander Dominic Pontbriant (3 wins, 2.57 ERA) started for USF while Dalton Robinson (0-2, 8.59 ERA) started for FAU.
It did not take FAU long to get going offensively as Marshall Lipsey led off the game with a triple down the right-field line. Nick Romano then hit a sac fly to right as Lipsey scored from third, giving the Owls an early 1-0 lead.
FAU would score another run in the second inning when Xavier Moronta reached on an error by the pitcher. Moronto then went to second on a Brando Leroux single, giving FAU runners at first and second with two outs. Marshall Lipsey would slap a single through the right side, scoring Moronto, giving the Owls a 2-0 lead.
In the third inning, Ian Collier doubled to left field. That was followed by a Brett Patten single to center, scoring Collier to put FAU up 3-0.
The USF bats would finally get going in the third as Ryan Pruitt and Jevin Relaford started the inning with consecutive singles, giving the Bulls runners on first and second with no outs. Jack Lutz would move the runners to second and third on a fielder’s choice before Lance Trippel reached base on an error by the pitcher, which allowed Pruitt to score, giving the Bulls their first run of the game. The Bulls would add on another run on a sac fly before the inning ended, cutting FAU’s lead to 3-2.
The score would stay 3-2 until the seventh inning. In the bottom of the seventh, USF managed to get their first two hitters on base via a walk and an infield error. FAU reliever Brayden Gilson would give way to Tyler Murphy, who would give up an infield hit to Ryan Pruitt to load the bases. Jevin Relaford was hit by a pitch, sending Nathan Early home to make it a 3-3 game.
With the bases still loaded, Jack Lutz singled to center, sending Jacob Green and Ryan Pruitt across the plate to give the Bulls their first lead of the game at 5-3, with Relaford advancing to third. FAU then made a pitching change, bringing in Reilly Witmer to face Lance Trippel. Witmer would get Trippel to ground into a double play, but Relaford scored from third to give USF a 6-3 lead. Jackson Geiger struck out to end the inning, and the Bulls were up 6-3 after seven frames.
FAU would get one run back in the eighth. With one out, Brett Patten bunted his way on, stole second, advanced to third on a groundout, and scored on a Patrick Ward single, cutting the USF lead to 6-4.
In the bottom of the eighth, after two consecutive walks to start the inning, Kyzer Smith replaced Reilly Whitmer for FAU, who promptly gave up a single to Nathan Early, scoring Lohry from second base to put the Bulls back up by three, 7-4. Jacob Green then lined a triple down the right field line, scoring Early and Mirza as USF broke the game open, taking a commanding 9-4 lead.
Jevon Relaford singled through the left side, driving in Green from third as the Bulls built the lead to 10-4. The Bulls would add one more before the inning ended, taking an 11-4 lead after eight innings.
FAU had three more outs to work with in the top of the ninth. Jayden Harriel led off the final frame for the Owls with a deep fly ball to right, which Jacob Green lost in the sun, and Harriel ended up at second base with a lead-off double.
FAU put two runs on the board in the ninth but it wasn’t enough as the Bulls salvaged the final game of the weekend series, 11-6.
The win snaps a five-game conference losing streak for USF. However, the Bulls have still lost their last four conference series’.
With the win, the Bulls are still in play for one of the eight spots in the AAC postseason tournament. The Bulls are 8-13 in conference play, tied for last place with Charlotte, and 29-16 overall. FAU drops to 10-11 in conference play, and is 24-23 overall.
USF is now off until next weekend when the Bulls travel to New Orleans to play Tulane in a weekend series. Meanwhile, FAU has a Tuesday night matchup with UCF before heading west next weekend to play the Wichita State Shockers.