JACKSONVILLE, Fla.- The Jacksonville Dolphins (5-7) fell to the South Florida Bulls (7-5) on Wednesday during a midday game, 16-12.
Blake Barquin started for the Dolphins on the mound. Barquin threw two innings, giving up six runs on four hits. He struck out one batter and walked four.
In the top of the first inning, the Bulls started off hot, bringing in a run to get on the board early.
The Dolphins quickly responded with a Justin Nadeau RBI double to tie the game at one each. Later in the inning, Clayton Hodges delivered with a two RBI single to give Jacksonville a 3-1 lead.
The Bulls responded in the top of the second. A double into left field allowed the runner to score after to cut the Dolphins lead to 3-2.Â
A walk with the bases loaded tied the game at three. South Florida took advantage of the bases loaded situation as a bases clearing triple made it 6-3 South Florida.Â
Jacksonville got one back in the bottom of the third on a Josh Steidl home run that cut the South Florida lead to 6-4.Â
In the top of the fourth, a Bulls RBI double extended their lead to 7-4.
Adbriel Delgado led off the home half of the first with a single back up the middle that was followed by a single into right field from Blake Edmonds to put runners at the corners. Aidan Masters picked up a RBI with to make it 7-5. Cade Hentz drove a double down the left field line to score Edmonds from second, making it 7-6 Bulls. Later in the inning, the Dolphins erased the lead after a Nadeau infield base hit scoring Hentz on a throwing error to make 7-7.Â
Logan Jones came into pitch in the fifth inning. The Bulls regained the lead on a wild pitch to make the score 8-7 USF. The Bulls were not done yet in the inning, adding a RBI double extending the USF lead to 9-7.Â
The Bulls added another in the top of sixth after a lead off double put the runner aboard. A sacrifice bunt moved him over to third and eventually crossed home on a two out RBI single to make it 10-7.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Cade Hentz reached on a one out single into right field then advanced to second on a 5-3 ground out off the bat of Will Gale. Following Justin Nadeau being hit by a pitch, Tyler Hinrikus slapped a base hit into right field that scored Hentz to cut the Jacksonville deficit to 10-9.
Jack Carver came on to relieve Logan Jones and threw a scoreless seventh inning. Logan gave up one run on three hits spanning two innings. He struck out three and didn't surrender any walks.Â
With one out in the home half of the seventh, Jaden Bastian drew a walk and successfully swiped second base to put a runner in scoring position. Cade Hentz came up to bat and slapped a RBI base hit into right field that tied the game at 10. Hentz took second on a wild pitch and then Will Gale walked to set up Justin Nadeau. Nadeau gave Jacksonville the lead on a two out RBI single that made it 11-10.
Divine Valle was tasked to close out the 11-10 lead as he came out to throw the ninth inning. Jack Carver threw two complete innings not allowing any Bulls runs or hits, while striking out three.
With one out in the ninth, the Bulls got two on via a hit batter and a walk. A one out base hit off Valle tied the game at 11. With two on and one out, Coach Hayes went back to bullpen and called upon Dylan Faulkner. An intentional walk loaded the bases with one out but a base hit into left field by the Bulls two hole hitter gave them a 12-11 lead. That was followed up by a sacrifice fly into left field that extended the Bulls lead to two, 13-11. A three run home run gave the Bulls a comfortable five run lead, 16-11.
Jacksonville got one back in the bottom of the ninth off of a Will Gale home run, his first of the season, but still came up short by a score of 16-12.
Three Strikes:
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Justin Nadeau keeps his eight game hitting streak alive.
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Josh Steidl blasts his team leading third home run of the season.
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Aidan Masters got his first hit as a Dolphin.
On Deck:
Jacksonville will head to California for a three game series against Cal State-Fullerton. Game one will take place on Friday at 9:00pm ET
