Box Score

TAMPA, Fla. - In a matchup of former BIG EAST foes, Villanova (1-10) scored its only run of the game with two outs in the top of the sixth inning and fell to USF (11-1) by a final score of 8-1 at the USF Baseball Stadium on Wednesday evening. Freshman left fielder Tyler Bruno (Breinigsville, Pa.) doubled home the Wildcats run in the sixth inning to take over the team lead for RBI this season. Freshman right-handed pitcher Ryan Pfutzenreuter (Deerfield, Ill.) allowed one earned run over 2 2/3 innings in his first collegiate start.

Freshman shortstop Timothy Lilly (Glen Ellyn, Ill.) was the first Villanova base runner when he walked with two outs and nobody on in the top of the sixth. Senior right fielder Donovan May (Newark, Del.) followed with a single and Bruno lofted a double into no-man's land down the left field line to score Lilly and notch his sixth run batted in this season. The sixth inning was the only frame in which the Wildcats had base runners.

The game was scoreless through two innings after Pfutzenreuter (0-1, 3.68 ERA) retired the side in order in the bottom of the first and then stranded a pair of runners to end the second inning. He got help from his defense in the second inning, as Lilly snared a hard line drive to short and stepped on second for an unassisted double play which accounted for the first two outs of the inning.

In the home half of the third inning, Garrett Zech led off with a triple to the gap in right-center field and leadoff hitter Keven Merrell followed with a single up the middle to drive in the first run of the game. Merrell was still at first with two outs when Joe Genord extended the inning with a single and Duke Stunkel reached on an error which allowed an unearned run to score.

A walk to Chris Chatfield loaded the bases, but sophomore reliever Jason Applegate (Columbus, N.J.) entered for Pfutzenreuter at that point and induced a come-backer to the mound to retire the side with no further damage done. Applegate has stranded nine of the 10 runners he has inherited this season, and the Bulls later left the bases loaded again in the fifth inning. USF stranded 14 runners overall.

Five runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, aided by a pair of home runs, extended the Bulls lead to 7-0. Senior reliever John Santoianni (Souderton, Pa.) and junior Andrew Owen (Chicago, Ill.) each pitched a scoreless inning out of the bullpen later in the game. Pfutzenreuter wound up being charged with five hits and two runs (one earned) while walking two and striking out one in 2 2/3 innings.

USF starting pitcher D.J. Roberts (2-0, 2.63 ERA) retired the first 17 batters he faced and allowed a run on two hits over six innings of work. He walked one and struck out six.

Wednesday night's game was the fourth of six for the Wildcats on their Spring Break trip to Florida. Villanova will return to the Port Charlotte area and plays its next game on Friday when it faces Iowa at 1:30 p.m. at North Charlotte Regional Park.

NOTES: Villanova and USF played each other for the 21st time, and the first since 2012 ââ'¬Â¦ All but three of the 21 meetings were regular season BIG EAST contests between 2007 and 2012 ââ'¬Â¦ Bulls sophomore outfielder Garrett Zech is the younger brother of former Wildcats outfielder Jordan Zech, who played at Villanova in 2011-12 after transferring from Central Florida CC ââ'¬Â¦ Among the 686 in attendance at Wednesday night's game were the Wildcats softball team and former Villanova pitcher Woody Bryson ââ'¬Â¦ The softball team is competing in a pair of tournaments hosted by USF during its trip to Tampa ââ'¬Â¦ Bryson appeared in 41 games for the Wildcats from 2014-16 and recorded five wins and three saves during his collegiate career ââ'¬Â¦ He is currently pitching in the New York Yankees minor league system.