TAMPA, Fla. – Jacksonville University fell to South Florida 6-1 on the road Wednesday.
USF (12-6) used a big third inning to jump ahead of JU (10-8) and never looked back.
"We couldn't stay out of the big inning tonight and that's what hurt us," said Head Coach Chris Hayes. "I really like the way we competed and pushed all the way to the end."
USF got most of its scoring in the third off of JU starter Greg Shannahan (0-1). With one out, the Bulls singled, then doubled, followed by a hit batsman, single and a home run that cleared the bases and made it 5-0.
The Bulls got one more in the fifth, off of JU reliever Andy Mitchell, after a leadoff double came home to score on a single two batters later.
The Dolphins did not allow a run the rest of the way, as Mitchell, Nathan Disch and Andrew Ciocia combined for five innings of three-hit relief.
"It was really good to see those guys coming out of the pen get the job done against a really good lineup," said Hayes.
JU put runners on in the first five innings, including loading them up in the fourth, on a Sam Armstrong double, Franco Guardascione wearing a pitch and Connor Stephens singling. The Dolphins could not push one across until the eighth however, when Jacob Southern bashed his team-high fifth homer of the year, making it 6-1.
The Dolphins threatened again in the ninth, when John Cassala banged a pinch-hit double off the wall in right, his second two-bagger of the season. Ruben Someillan followed up with an infield single to advance Cassala to third. JU could not plate any, however, and left 11 on-base tonight.
Jacksonville returns home Friday night for the first of a three-game series vs. Fairfield. Friday night is Dollar Day at John Sessions Stadium, and the admission, plus select concessions cost just one buck.
