South Florida Beats Cardinals 8-4 In Baseball
July 13, 2000 | Baseball
April 2, 2000
TAMPA, Fla. - South Florida avoided a sweep Sunday as the Bulls used nine hits, all singles, to defeat Louisville 8-4 in Tampa at Red McEwen Field. The Cardinals won two of three in the weekend series to move to 10-18-1 overall and 4-4-1 in Conference USA.
Instead of collecting extra bases, the Bulls used three sacrifice flies, a sacrifice hit, two stolen bases and took advantage of eight Louisville walks, seven wild pitches, a passed ball and three errors.
The Cardinals scored 26 runs in the series' first two games but USF starter John Vigue held the lineup in check while allowing six hits and just one earned run in 6 1/3 innings. The junior right-hander struck out four and walked two in his best effort since limiting Stetson to one run in eight innings in late-February.
USF (15-17, 3-6 Conference USA) scored four runs with one hit in the bottom of the sixth to build an 8-4 advantage. Vince Parisi, Bill Nahorodny and Raburn drew consecutive walks to open the frame. Mike Cunningham reached base and Parisi scored the winning run on a Cardinal throwing error.
USF add three more in the inning on a sacrifice fly, a single through the left side and another sacrifice fly to go up 8-4.
The Bulls took control early with a three-run first inning. Raburn, 7-of-11 in the three-game series while reaching base in 11 of his 16 plate appearances, scored the first run in a manner indicative of the following seven. The junior led off the inning with a walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch, reached third when Cunningham laid down a bunt single in front of the plate and scored when Cuccia ground out to short.
Eylward drew a one-out walk before Cunningham scored on a throwing error. A Mike Barclay single through the left side scored Eylward and the Bulls led 3-0.
Louisville (10-18-1, 4-4-1) scored a run in the third and, after the Bulls added a run in the fourth, eventually pulled even at 4-all with two in the fifth and one in the top of the sixth.
Mike Eilers (0-1), who relieved Cardinal starter Denny Williams with two outs in the first inning, took the loss after pitching 4 1/3 innings and giving up three runs on four hits. Williams allowed three runs while facing eight batters.
Kevin Martinez collected three hits and an RBI, while Paul Brown added two singles for the Cardinals.
Louisville travels to Evansville for a 3 p.m. game Wednesday.
