Bulls still unbeaten after bizarre finish

Posted Feb 19, 2012 by Joey Johnston

Updated Feb 19, 2012 at 08:58 PM

ST. PETERSBURG—The University of South Florida Bulls remained unbeaten and clinched a co-championship of the Big Ten-Big East Baseball Challenge on Sunday. But for USF, the finish of Sunday’s game at Al Lang Field was downright bizarre.

Officially, it will go down in the books as USF 4, Minnesota 3 in seven innings.

In reality, the Golden Gophers opened the top of the eighth inning with a double, then a single off USF reliever Adrian Puig, placing runners at the corners with nobody out. Big trouble for USF. Then, in a flash, it was over. The home-plate umpire threw up his hands. Both teams moved toward the diamond to shake hands.

Due to travel constraints, Minnesota had to quit playing at 4:30 p.m. And that’s where the clock was when Minnesota began its rally. So officially, the eighth inning hits never happened and the game reverted back to the seventh inning for its end point.

Golden Gophers coach John Anderson said he knew before the game the time limit would hit at 4:30. Minnesota hurriedly left the stadium so it could make a 6:40 night flight back home to Minneapolis.

“It wouldn’t have been fair if we had scored a couple of runs there because we have to leave right now,’’ Anderson said as he packed his duffel bag. “What are going to do? We’ve got a flight. We can’t miss our flight. It was a great ballgame. It would’ve been fun to see the finish.’‘

USF coach Lelo Prado wasn’t complaining after seeing his team move to 3-0.

“We’ve had plenty of bad breaks, so I guess this is a good break,’’ Prado said. “That’s a class move by their coach. They had to catch their flight, so they were stuck.

“It stinks for them because they had a rally going. But we got behind in time and that first game (Purdue 15, Notre Dame 8) ran a little long.’‘

USF and Purdue were the only teams to finish 3-0 in the three-day event.

The Bulls never trailed, getting a two-run double from Todd Brazeal, plus RBI singles from Daniel Rockwald and Blake Sydeski.

But the biggest story was pitching. Senior left-hander Andrew Barbosa saw his first action after missing most of last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Barbosa pitched into the third inning, striking out three and walking two before being lifted (after 41 pitches) by USF pitching coach Chuck Hernandez.

Meanwhile, senior right-hander Derrick Stultz, who missed all of last season with injury, followed Barbosa. Stultz worked 2 2/3 innings and struck out four batters.

“It has been a long time away,’’ Stultz said. “I felt like I was a freshman. I had freshman nerves out there. But I calmed down. I think we’re going to do really well this season. We have a fantastic team. I think we’re going to go far.’‘

The Bulls already have far surpassed last season’s slumbering start (1-5), a point that greatly encouraged Prado.

“It’s a great start,’’ Prado said. “Now we’ve got to get better. We’ve got to clean up some stuff we’re doing wrong. As long as that pitching staff keeps pitching, we’ve got a shot.’‘