TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

USF Eliminated From Big East Tourney

ADVERTISEMENT

By BRETT McMURPHY

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 24, 2008

CLEARWATER - Senior Joey Angelberger had just played the final game of his University of South Florida career. Despite a season-ending 13-2 loss to Cincinnati in Friday's Big East Tournament semifinals, Angelberger felt "lucky" to be part of Coach Lelo Prado's building process.

"I'm lucky I got to start it off," Angelberger said. "When Prado came in last year, I had no clue what it was going to be about.

"We've made bounds in the two years with the players and talent coming in and the way they teach you. It's impressive the way they run a program."

The Bulls (31-27) ended their season for a second consecutive year with a loss in the Big East semifinals.

"We are making strides," said Prado, 65-53 at USF. "The young guys got great experience, that's the future of this program. I'm happy with the freshmen, how they played. They're going to have great careers here."

Second baseman Jonathan Koscso, of Jesuit, was one of three freshmen who started most of the season. Also, USF's lowest two ERAs were by freshmen.

"We learned a lot," Koscso said. "We're looking forward to the future."

Against Cincinnati, the Bulls could do little to keep the Bearcats from winning their eighth consecutive game.

After center fielder Brian Hobbs' second-inning home run pulled USF even at 1, the Bearcats gradually built a 6-1 lead.

In the seventh, Koscso's RBI single scored Chris Rey, who led off the inning with a triple, making it 6-2. Two batters later, Angelberger was at the plate as the tying run with the bases loaded.

However, Angelberger, who had hit home runs in five of his previous seven games, grounded into an inning-ending double play to end the threat. In the eighth, the Bearcats sealed the win with seven runs off three USF pitchers.

"We had Joey at the right spot," Prado said. "He's been carrying us the last week and a half, but you can't expect him to do it every time. Cincinnati just played better and pitched better than us."

Second-seeded Cincinnati (39-19) plays No. 4 seed Louisville (40-19) in today's Big East championship at 1 p.m.

VIRGINIA 5, FLORIDA STATE 3: Three Virginia pitchers combined to hold down FSU's powerful offense in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament in Jacksonville.

Second-seeded Florida State (47-10), which hit four home runs Wednesday in an 8-3 victory against Wake Forest, had only one extra-base hit against Virginia (38-19), an RBI double in the second inning by Tony Delmonico that gave the Seminoles a 1-0 lead.

Virginia starter Jacob Thompson (6-4) and relievers Matt Packer and Michael Schwimer combined to strike out eight. Former Bloomingdale pitcher Ryan Strauss (8-1) took the loss for FSU.

FSU plays third-seeded North Carolina at 5 p.m. today.

Gators Beat Cal 4-2 In Softball Super Regional

GAINESVILLE - Player of the year nominee Stacey Nelson (44-3) allowed a season-high nine hits, but struck out 10 and limited California to one earned run as top-ranked Florida (66-3) beat California (43-26) 4-2 in the first game of an NCAA Super Regional on Friday.

All Florida must do today is beat Cal once in the best-of-three series to advance to the College World Series. Game 2 is today at noon, with the if-necessary game 30 minutes after Game 2 ends.

UF scored once in the fourth when Francesca Enea singled in Aja Paculba, then added three in the fifth on run-scoring plays by Paculba (walk), Ali Gardiner (single) and Enea (hit by pitch).

Information from Tribune wires

was used in this report.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT