Tampa, Fla. (February 24, 2007)- In the second game of a three game set, South Florida scored twice in the second on the way to a 5-0 win over Manhattan tonight at Red McEwan Field on the Bulls' campus.
After two and a half scoreless innings, South Florida pushed across two runs in the bottom of the third. With two outs, Dexter Butler singles, and was chased home when Ty Taborelli tripled. Taborelli scored on an Addison Maruszak single to make the score 2-0 Bulls.
South Florida would score single runs in the fifth, sixth, and seventh to provide the final margin.
Manhattan threatened several times, but could not crack the scoreboard. In the second, Kevin Nieto reached on an error and stole second, but could not come all the way around.
The Jaspers put a scare into the Bulls in the late innings. In the seventh, Mike Garcia broke up South Florida starter Daniel Thomas' no-hit bid with a leadoff single down the right field line, and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Garcia moved to third on a groundout by Dom Lombardi, but Manhattan could not conjure up the clutch hit to score him.
In the eighth, Ruben Perez tallied a pinch hit single leading off the inning, and promptly stole second. Rene Ruiz drew a walk in the ensuing at bat, and both runners moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Eric Nieto drew a walk to load the bases, but Yuri Higgins came on in relief to retire the side.
In the ninth, a hit batsman and an error out runners on second and third with two outs, but Higgins would induce a fly out to end the game.
Jesse Darcy worked the first seven innings for Manhattan, striking out three while allowing all five runs. Jeremy Shaw worked a scoreless eighth in his first appearance of the season.
Thomas earned the win, allowing just one hit over seven innings, while tallying eight strikeouts.
The Jaspers and Bulls conclude their three-game series on Sunday, February 25, with first pitch slated for 12 noon.
