The excitement was palpable as Joel Core, our star starter, took to the mound, leading the Wildcats (17-15) into a fierce battle against USF on Tuesday night in Tampa. Holding USF hitless for nearly five innings, Bethune-Cookman took an early lead of 1-0 thanks to Manny Souffrain's RBI single that brought Garrett Chun home in the top of the fourth.
But as the game progressed, USF (20-13) started to find their rhythm. In the bottom of the seventh, they seized their opportunity, swinging the momentum with a two-run homer that put them in the lead. A subsequent RBI single pushed their advantage to 3-1.
Despite our best efforts, the Bulls managed to tack on one more run in the eighth, capitalizing on a couple of errors from Bethune-Cookman to extend their lead to 4-1.
The ninth inning brought some hope for a comeback as we rallied with back-to-back singles, putting runners on first and second with no outs. However, despite the tension in the air, three consecutive strikeouts dashed our hopes, leaving the Bulls victorious with a final score of 4-1.
Joel Core displayed his prowess on the mound, pitching 6.1 solid innings, allowing only three runs - two of which were earned - on four hits. He also demonstrated his command with three walks and six strikeouts.
Pablo Torres and Dylan Vega joined the fray from the bullpen, contributing to defensive efforts by conceding just one unearned run on one hit. Together, they managed two walks and five strikeouts, showcasing the team's resilience even in the face of adversity.
In addition to Core's standout performance, several other Wildcats shone bright on the field. Each of the first five batters in the lineup secured at least one hit, while Jorge Rodriguez and Jorge Gonzalez Febo particularly stood out with multi-hit nights.
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