Wednesday, April 28, 2010

FORT MYERS, Fla. – The FGCU baseball team picked up a non-conference road win as they defeated the Bulls of USF, 10-9, on Tuesday evening at Red McEwen Field.

With the win, FGCU improves to 27-13 on the season while USF drops to 19-22 on the year. The game saw a total of 12 pitchers take the mound on the evening (FGCU 8; USF 4).

Down two runs with two outs in the ninth inning, USF’s Junior Carlin tripled to left scoring Jonathan Koscso, but pinch-runner Jimmy Falla was thrown out at the plate by Stephen Wickens (Whitby, Ontario) to end the game.

The Bulls got a walk from Koscso and a single by Todd Brazeal with two out in the ninth, but were unable to tie the game as Falla was gunned down on bang-bang play at the dish.

The exciting ninth capped a windy game, which allowed both offenses to combine for 19 runs on 21 hits.

FGCU starter Kevin Bryant (Homestead, Fla.) was one of eight pitchers the Eagles used on the night, and he lasted just 1.0 inning although he did not allow a run or a hit in the appearance. Redshirt sophomore Patrick Nathanson (Maitland, Fla.) earned the win for FGCU. The lefty (4-2) threw 2.2 innings of shutout baseball, while allowing a pair of hits and striking out one. Junior Jack Wagoner (Berlin, Conn.) pitched one inning to pick up his seventh save of the season. USF’s Kevin Quackenbush (1-3) took the lost on the night.

The Eagles started the scoring in the top of the first as Zach Maxfield (North Port, Fla.) doubled down the left field line to score Wickens, who led the game off with a single up the middle (1-0).

The Bulls would put up six on the board in the bottom of the second. Brazeal led off the inning with a double to left-center, and would come in to score as Carlin hit a homer to left field (2-0). With runners on the corners and two outs, Alex Mendez singled to score Sam Mende and give USF the 3-1 lead. Jonathan Koscso reached on an error to plate Luis Llerena and Mendez, and Koscso would score on a double by Stephen Hunt to give the Bulls a 6-1 lead.