To say that Stetson baseball coach Pete Dunn was upset with his club following Tuesday night's 3-2 loss to South Florida at Melching Field would be an understatement.

Disappointed, frustrated and angry would be better terms for the Hatters veteran skipper.

The Hatters made three costly mistakes on the bases in the game, all of which contributed to the loss.

“It was a shame that our fans pay good money to come to the ball park and see a team play as uninspired, without any intensity or any hustle, than we did tonight. It is on my shoulders,” Dunn said. “I can't remember when I have been as disappointed with a team as I am with this team tonight.”

The Hatters (10-8) got good pitching in the game from a pair of seniors, starter Adam Schaly (1-1) and reliever Josh Thorne, but were unable to muster any offensive support. Schaly worked four innings, allowing two runs on six hits while striking out a career-high seven, but left the game trailing 2-1.

“You are supposed to win most games when your pitchers only give up three runs,” Dunn said. “But we went to the seventh inning with just four hits.”

Both teams came out hot early in the game. USF (10-7) loaded the bases in the first inning with a pair of two-out singles and a walk, but only managed to score one run when freshman Garrett Zech – the younger brother of former Hatter Kyle Zech – was hit by a pitch.

Stetson freshman Jacob Koos gave the Hatters a chance to answer right back in the bottom of the inning when he doubled off USF starter Brad Labozzetta (1-3) to lead off the inning. A fly ball moved him to third and he scored on a ground ball to short to tie the game.

USF came right back in the second, getting a leadoff walk, a wild pitch and an RBI single from Coco Montez to take a 2-1 lead.

Labozzetta kept the Hatters off the board for the rest of his six innings of work. Stetson put two runners on base in the third inning but failed to score and then loaded the bases in the fifth, but came up empty.

“We had a guy on the mound who had walked 14 guys in 10 innings, but we can't go to the plate and swing at strikes,” Dunn said. “We swung at pitches out of the zone and let him settle in and get people out.”

Stetson's Evin Lynch made his season debut on the mound in the fifth inning, surrendering a hit and a pair of walks, giving USF an insurance run that would pay off big later. Freshman Joey Gonzalez came on to get the final out in the fifth to avoid further problems.

The Hatters were able to get a run back in the seventh inning despite not getting a hit in the frame. USF reliever Andrew Perez struggled with his control, walking three in the inning in addition to surrendering a pair of wild pitches. A passed ball allowed Colton Lightner to score from third, but USF turned to Dylan Burns, who closed out the inning, leaving three runners on base.

Stetson had promising starts in the sixth, eighth and ninth innings, but base-running mistakes cost the Hatters all three times.

In the sixth, Jorge Flores drew a walk to start the frame, but ventured too far off the bag and was picked off by USF catcher Tyler Dietrich.

In the eighth, Flores opened the inning with a single, but Jack Machonis followed by popping up a bunt attempt that turned into an inning-killing double play.

In the ninth inning, freshman Mike Spooner delivered a one-out single off USF closer Tommy Eveld, but was erased from the bases when Koos hit a sharp grounder toward the hole on the right side of the infield, and the ball hit Spooner on the foot. Eveld picked up his third save by closing out the inning.

“That is not bad luck, it is bad base running,” Dunn said. “I'm not saying the ball can't hit you sometimes, but you find a way in that situation to jump over it. When you bunt the inning before and pop it up, you don't stand at the plate and let the catcher turn it into a double play.

“It doesn't take a lot of skill to play hard. If you can't hustle and play hard all the time, then you can't play the game.”

Koos led the Hatters offensively with two hits in the game. Cameron Montgomery, one of seven freshmen in the lineup for USF, had three hits for the Bulls.

The Hatters will try to get back on track Friday night when they open a three-game weekend series against Winthrop. The Eagles are coached by former Stetson player and assistant coach Tommy Riginos and he is assisted by another former Hatter player and coach, Clint Chrysler.

Friday's game is scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. start. Games on Saturday and Sunday are set for 2 p.m. and 1 p.m., respectively.