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USF Bulls win NCAA baseball opener, face Gators on Saturday

 
USF’s Zac Gilcrease slides home to score as Florida Atlantic catcher Kevin Abraham tries to make the tag in the second inning.
USF’s Zac Gilcrease slides home to score as Florida Atlantic catcher Kevin Abraham tries to make the tag in the second inning.
Published May 30, 2015

GAINESVILLE — The moment was definitely not too big.

It has been 13 years since USF played in an NCAA baseball region, and coach Mark Kingston wasn't quite sure how his Bulls would respond. The concern was unnecessary.

Shortstop Kyle Teaf was 4-for-5 and junior Jimmy Herget pitched seven innings, allowing nine hits and just three runs, as USF defeated Florida Atlantic 5-3 Friday in the opening game of the Gainesville Region.

"I thought it was a very well-played game on both sides," Kingston said. "We didn't look like the moment was too big for us. I thought our guys were really excited to play, but they also stayed loose and stayed focused."

The Bulls (34-24-1) scored in the opening inning after second baseman and Steinbrenner High graduate Kevin Merrell's hit scored Teaf, who tripled to lead off the game. But FAU scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a 2-1 lead.

The Owls (40-18), who entered the double-elimination tournament with a .442 slugging percentage, got some solid hits off Herget in the early innings.

"Early in the game there was something a little off with me," said Herget, of Jefferson High. "My breaking ball wasn't really as sharp, and my fast ball wasn't getting down. They're a good-hitting team, but once I hit about the third inning, I sort of got in a groove."

Trailing 2-1, USF scored two runs in the second, then added on each in the fourth and seventh innings.

"I don't think the approach changed for us whether it would be the conference tournament, first game of the year, Game 56, it doesn't matter to us," said Teaf, who had two triples and two RBIs, and scored two runs. "We're just going out there and playing like it's just another game."

Florida routs FAMU, faces USF tonight

GAINESVILLE — A breakout third inning in which the Gators batted through their lineup and included a bases-loaded walk was the start of a scoring barrage in Florida's 19-0 victory over Florida A&M in the Gainesville Region.

The five-run third was the third time in the past five outings that Florida (45-16) had scored at least five runs in the third.

Gators freshman designated hitter JJ Schwarz was 4-for-5 with three runs scored, five RBIs and one home run, his 15th of the season. He also had his 15th double of the season.

FAMU starting pitcher Ricky Page tied a season high with five strikeouts but lasted just 21/3 innings. The Rattlers eventually used eight pitchers in the game. The Gators had seven batters hit by a pitch, a season high.

Florida faces USF at 7 tonight (SEC Network, 1010-AM). The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament champion Rattlers (23-24) play Florida Atlantic at 1 today in an elimination game.

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Florida St. 4, Mercer 3 (10): Josh Delph singled in the winning run in the 10th, giving the Seminoles a victory over the Bears at the Tallahassee Region. Outfielder Ben DeLuzio singled to lead off the 10th for FSU (42-19), reached second on an error and third on a sacrifice before scoring on Delph's hit through the right side of a pulled-in infield. Billy Strode (3-0) earned the win in relief and Dimitri Kourtis took the loss. DeLuzio scored twice and John Sansome drove in two runs for Florida State. The Seminoles face No. 2 region seed College of Charleston at 6 today; Mercer (35-22) faces Auburn at noon in an elimination game.

Miami 6, FIU 2 : David Thompson was 3-for-4 with three RBIs and a run to lead the Hurricanes past city rival Florida International at the Coral Gables Region. The Hurricanes (45-14) face Columbia at 7 tonight; FIU (29-30) faces American Athletic Conference tournament champion East Carolina at 1 in an elimination game.

Information from Times wires was used in this report. Contact Antonya English at english@tampabay.com. Follow@TBTimes_Gators.