April 18, 2006
ORLANDO - USF center fielder Ty Taborelli went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and the game-winning RBI to lead the visiting Bulls to a 6-4 victory over UCF in 11 innings Tuesday evening at Jay Bergman Field. With a runner on third and one out in the 11th, Taborelli singled through the right side to plate the game-winning run for USF.
The win moves USF to 18-20 on the season while the Golden Knights dropped to 21-19.
"It was a tough ballgame," commented UCF head coach Jay Bergman. "We had chances in the seventh and eighth inning to win the ballgame, but we didn't do it."
USF jumped out to an early 4-0 lead after two innings of play. The Bulls used three extra-base hits in the first to score three runs.
Freshman center fielder Dave DiNatale drove in a run on a fielder's choice in the fourth to put UCF on the scoreboard at 4-1.
The Golden Knights tied the contest at four after a three-run sixth. Sophomore Tyson Auer, making his first career start at third base and playing for the first time since April 1 due to a finger injury, crushed a solo home run to left to cut the lead in half, 4-2. Later in the frame, DiNatale added a RBI-triple and freshman left fielder Ryan Williams came through with a RBI-single to even the game at four.
UCF had a chance to win the game in the 10th after a one-out double by freshman first baseman Kiko Vazquez, but he was stranded at second as UCF ended the inning with a pair of strikeouts.
The Golden Knights struck out 14 times on the night and left 11 runners on base.
Chase Lirette (2-2) worked two scoreless innings and allowed just one hit to collect the win in relief for USF. Raymon Garcia notched his first save of the season for the Bulls.
DiNatale led UCF with two hits and two RBI. Senior catcher Ryan Bono also contributed two hits for the Golden Knights.
UCF returns to the diamond Friday at home vs. UAB. The three-game Conference USA series vs. the Blazers begins at 6:30 p.m. at Jay Bergman Field. Tickets are available for the series by calling 407-823-1000.