Bulls Split today with 'Nova, Lose series

[Brad]

Courtesy USF SID

Delaney Continues Perfect Season With 5-4 Victory Over Villanova

PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa. (April 14, 2007) – Junior right handed pitcher Chris Delaney (8-0) earned his eighth win of the season as the University of South Florida beat Villanova 5-4 in the first game of Saturday's double header in Pennsylvania.  

Delaney, who pitched 8.0 innings, struck out five and allowed six hits in his ninth start of the season.  

Junior shortstop Walter Diaz extended his hitting streak to 19 games with a sixth-inning single to the left side. Diaz has 32 hits in the past 19 games, including three doubles, a triple and a home run.  

Freshman Shawn Sanford picked up his 10th save of the season allowing no hits and zero runs in 0.2 innings.

After finding themselves down 2-0 after the first inning, USF scored one run from three walks and a sac fly in the second to cut the Villanova lead in half.  

Sophomore Addison Maruszak, freshman Ryan Soares and junior Joey Angelberger each drew a walk to load the bases for junior Josh LeRoy. With one out, LeRoy sent a sac fly to right field, picking up his 15th RBI of the season as Maruszak crossed the plate.

The Bulls tied the game in the third, as Consolmagno drew a walk, stole second base, then moved to third on a Wildcat error. He then scored on a fielder's choice as Butler drove a ball to the Villanova shortstop, who chose to force out Diaz at second base.  

In the bottom of the inning, the Bulls turned their 30th double play of the season, the first of two in the game, a 6-4-3 by juniors Diaz, Dexter Butler and Brandin Daniel. In the next inning, Delaney started the 1-6-3 double-up following a bunt by Villanova.

The Bulls took their first lead of the series in the top of the fifth after notching two hits.  Junior Brad Karns drove a ball through the Villanova left side, then was moved to second base on a sac bunt from Consolmagno. Butler then crushed a shot to center field, scoring Karns and giving USF the 3-2 lead.  

USF continued to inch its way past Villanova, scoring two runs in the sixth, as Soares doubled down the left line and LeRoy reached on a fielding error by Villanova, which scored Soares. Karns reached after a dropped strike three, then Consolmagno placed a fly ball over the Wildcat third baseman, scoring LeRoy for USF's fifth and final run of the game.  

Delaney retired the minimum of three batters in four consecutive innings – and in 6-of-8 total innings – after facing seven batters in the first.  

In the bottom of the ninth, with a 5-3 lead, the Bulls allowed one run from two hits and one walk, leaving the bases loaded to take the first game of the double header, 5-4.  

Consolmagno, the only Bull with multiple hits, was 2-for-3 with one RBI and two stolen bases. Butler tallied two RBI in the game while Maruszak drew two walks, one of which was intentional.

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Diaz Extends Hitting Streak To 20 Games In USF's 6-2 Loss To Villanova

PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa. (April 14, 2007) – Junior shortstop Walter Diaz singled up the middle in the second inning to extend his hitting streak to 20 games as the University of South Florida lost 6-2 to Villanova in game two of the double header on Saturday in Pennsylvania.  

Diaz' streak matches the Bulls' longest hitting streak posted in the past nine years, which was Johnny Raburn's 20 consecutive-hit games in 1999 and 2000. Rayburn collected hits in 19-straight games to end the 1999 season, then added one more in 2000 before going hitless in the second game of that season.  

Freshman Matt Quevedo (3-1) struck out three in 4.2 innings, picking up his first loss of the season.  

Villanova again took the early lead by scoring two runs in the second inning, but the Bulls tied the game in the top of the fourth scoring two runs from three hits. Villanova put the game away by scoring four runs in two innings, taking the 6-2 victory and winning 2-of-3 in the BIG EAST series.  

After Villanova scored its two runs in the second, USF answered with two of its own in the top of the fourth inning to tie the game at two apiece.  

Diaz singled to the left side then junior Dexter Butler doubled down the right line to move Diaz to third. Maruszak sent a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Diaz for USF's first run of the game. Junior first baseman Brandin Daniel tallied his second hit of the game, a single through the left side, scoring Butler and notching his team-leading 37th RBI of the year.

The Bulls gave up four runs over the next two innings to end the game at a four-run deficit.  

Diaz was 2-for-4 with one run scored while Daniel was 3-for-4 with an RBI and 10 put outs at first base.  

The Bulls host Central Florida on Tuesday, April 17 at 6 p.m. before a three-game BIG EAST series with Rutgers April 20-22 in Tampa.

[Cubanbull]

We need to win three out of those next four

[JoeB]

I don't think Diaz extended his streak.  He was 0-5 in the first game.  Bad weekend for the Bulls.  We have to win 2/3 from that team.  That is the difference between being a good team and a great team.  Bad loss.................

[Matt]

hurts tourney chances there.  now we gotta win the BE