May 11, 2008

Box Score

QUEENS, N.Y. - The University of South Florida plated six runs in the ninth to defeat the No. 21/20 St. John's baseball team, 9-2. Daniel Benedetti was 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles, while Tim Morris and Gino Matias had a hit and an RBI apiece to pace St. John's (39-11, 18-6). Charles Cleveland was 5-for-5, while Joey Angelberger had two hits and three RBI to lead USF (26-24, 11-13). USF starter Derrick Stultz (4-3) scattered eight hits and struck out six in a complete game effort.

Red Storm starter Jared Yecker retired the first six batters of the game before USF got to the righty for three runs in the top of the third. After plunking the leadoff batter, Cleveland singled to left and the Bulls had runners on the corners with no outs. Jonathan Koscso then put USF on the board with a sacrifice fly. Mike Consolmagno doubled down the right field line and Angelberger singled to plate two more runs and put USF up 3-0.

St. John's answered with a run in the bottom of the frame. Benedetti led off with a double before Matias lined an RBI double down the left field line.

Stultz, though would retire the 10 of the next 11 batters after the Matias double.

After allowing a lead off single in the fifth, Yecker (3-2) recorded an out. After reaching a 2-0 count on the next batter, the righty was lifted in favor of Matt Tosoni. Yecker had four strikeouts and allowed three runs in 4.1 innings.

Tosoni kept the Bulls off the board with 3.0 scoreless innings and the score remained 3-1 through seven innings

The Red Storm added another run in the eighth after Benedetti led off the inning with a double. Morris followed with an RBI single into right field to plate Benedetti. Matias then moved Morris to second with a sacrifice bunt, but Stultz retired the next two batters to end the inning.

In the top of the ninth, however, the Bulls sent 11 men to the plate and scored six runs to open a 9-2 lead. Cleveland singled to lead off the inning and the Bulls moved him up with a sacrifice bunt. After a call to the bullpen, USF drew a walk and added an RBI double. After an intentional walk, a two RBI single made it 6-2. The Bulls added another run on an RBI groundout before a two RBI single made it 9-2.

Chris Anninos roped a one-out single into left field in the bottom of the frame, but Stultz would retire the next two batters to finish with a complete game.

St. John's concludes its regular season schedule with a three game set at Villanova from May 15-17.