FORT MYERS, Fla. ? In their final game at the Florida Gulf Coast University Classic, the Tigers (2-6) dropped a rain-shortened 15-9 decision to the University of South Florida at George Brett Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The game was called due to rain with South Florida leading by 15-9 entering the bottom of the eighth inning.
The Tigers, who had 17 runs and 23 hits in a win over Boston College on Saturday, gave junior pitcher John Schmeer an early 3-0 lead before he even took the mound. Senior second baseman Gary Helmick led off the game by reaching base on an error by USF shortstop Sam Mende. Junior centerfielder Kevin Collins kept the inning alive with a single to centerfield before junior third baseman Steve Yarsinsky doubled down the leftfield line, scoring Helmick with the first run of the game.
With one out and runners on second and third base, sophomore shortstop Chris Wychock laid down a squeeze play bunt as Collins scored to make it a 2-0 lead. When senior Matt Collins followed with an RBI single to centerfield, Towson owned a 3-0 lead.
However, the lead didn't last very long. In the bottom of the first inning, the Bulls scored four runs as leftfielder Chris Rey blasted a three-run homer and first baseman Todd Brazeal had an RBI double. South Florida added three more runs in the second inning to take a 7-3 lead.
Solo home runs by Yarsinsky and Matt Collins in the third inning cut the Tigers' deficit to 7-5.
But, a sacrifice fly by Jonathan Koscsco in the last of the third increased the Bulls' lead to 8-5.
In the top of the fourth inning, the Tigers rallied to pull within 8-7. Sophomore Austin Harclerode led off the inning with a single and Helmick moved him to third base with a single to right. An RBI single by Kevin Collins allowed Harclerode to score. Later in the inning, Helmick scored on a passed ball to make it an 8-7 lead. However, junior righthander Matt Quevedo came out of the bullpen to pitch out of the jam.
An RBI single by second baseman Peter Brotus and a run-scoring double by Mike Consolmagno in the last of the fourth inning enabled South Florida to take a 10-7 lead after four innings.
In the sixth inning, Towson cut the lead to 10-8 when Helmick led off with an infield single and scored on a two-out double by Yarsinsky.
After South Florida added a run in the bottom of the sixth, the Tigers reduced their deficit to 11-9 in the seventh inning when Matt Collins doubled and scored on a wild pitch.
The Bulls, who outhit the Tigers by a 16-13 margin, put the game out of reach by scoring four runs on only one hit in the bottom of the seventh inning. The Bulls loaded the bases on an error by Helmick, a hit batter and a walk. After scoring a run on a passed ball and a bases-loaded walk, Junior Carlin delivered a two-run single to give the Bulls a 15-9 lead.
After Quevedo retired the side in order in the top of the eighth inning, the game was called due to rain.
Quevedo earned the win as he allowed two runs on three hits in 4.2 innings of relief. He walked two and struck out six.
Helmick led the Tigers' offense as he extended his hitting streak to eight games in a row by going 3-for-5 with three runs scored. Matt Collins also extended his hitting streak to eight in a row with three hits and two RBI's. Yarsinsky also had a three-hit effort while driving in three runs.
Carlin led South Florida by going five-for-five.
In the four-game tournament, the Tigers had a .352 team batting average while scoring 34 runs. Helmick led Towson with a .611 batting average in the tournament and seven runs scored. Matt Collins batted .526 with a homer and 4 RBI's. Yarsinsky batted .500 with a homer and 5 RBI's.
After playing their first eight games of the season on the road, the Tigers open their home schedule on Tuesday, March 3 when they host the University of Maryland at John B. Schuerholz Park at 2:30 p.m.
