The Bulls tie the game late but fall late to No. 6 Miami, 7-5
TAMPA (Feb. 26, 2020) – The USF baseball team battled to tie it late but fell to No. 6 Miami on the road Wednesday, 7-5.
The Bulls (2-7) came out of the gates firing in the top of the first inning. Carmine Lane (Lake Placid, Fla.) would belt his first career homer to left center, scoring Dontae Mitchell (St. Petersburg, Fla.) to make it 2-0.
The Hurricanes (5-3) would answer back with five unanswered runs through the next five innings to lead, 5-2.
Nick Gonzalez (Tampa, Fla.) drove a ball to deep right field in the top of the sixth inning, scoring Dylan Buck (Lakewood Ranch, Fla.) to cut the Miami lead to, 5-3.
JD Dutka (Suwanee, Ga.) would tie the game in the top of the seventh with a two-run homer to center, scoring Lane.
Raymond Gil would spoil the Bulls comeback with a walk-off homer and end the chance of an upset.
Graham Hoffman (Tampa, Fla.) suffered the loss on the hill for the Bulls allowing two runs on two hits through 0.1 innings.
Notable
· JD Dutka hit his first homerun since May 17, 2018.
· Dontae Mitchell drew his ninth walk to move him into first in the AAC.
· Carmine Lane hit his first career home run in the top of the first inning.
· Dylan Buck went 2-for-4 with a run.
Up Next
The Bulls will return home to host Northwestern for a weekend series, Friday Feb. 28.
About USF Baseball
The University of South Florida baseball program is one of the fastest rising programs in the country. The Bulls earned their third NCAA Regional berth in the last four seasons and had six all-conference selections in 2018. Four players were selected in the 2018 MLB Draft, including the program’s fourth first rounder, pitcher Shane McClanahan. Third baseman David Villar was taken in the 11th round after being named first team all-conference and an All-American. The Bulls reached the NCAA Regionals in 2015 for the first time in 13 years and followed that success with a 42-19 record and second NCAA regional trip in three years in 2017. The Bulls continued the success in head coach Billy Mohl first season in 2018, reaching 36 wins and advancing to the semifinals of the conference tournament for the first time since 2012, while being ranked in multiple polls for the final two months of the season. The USF Baseball program has won five conference titles and the Bulls have made 13 NCAA appearances.
– #GoBulls –
