The Stetson Hatters posted their biggest single inning offensive output this season in the second inning Wednesday night at Melching Field, turning a 5-0 deficit against USF into a 7-5 lead.
 
The Hatters kept the Bulls at bay for most of the rest of the night, hanging on for a 10-9 victory.
 
Stetson improved to 10-14 on the year with the win while USF fell to 12-11.
 
The Hatters' big second inning came after the Bulls roughed up Stetson starter Austin Bogart for five runs on four hits in the first inning plus. USF junior Joe Genord got things started with a two-run homer in the first inning, the first of his four hits in the game, and first of two home runs on the night.
 
Sophomore Zemp Schwab (1-0) came on in relief of Bogart in the second, getting a pair of strikeouts to leave the bases loaded.
 
Stetson bounced right back in the bottom of the frame, scoring the seven runs on four hits with the help of two walks, two wild pitches and one USF error. Bulls starter Pat Doudican took the brunt of the damage, allowing four runs. Reliever Richie Cruz (0-1) gave up the last three in the inning.
 
Mark Townsend got things started with a double and scored on a hit by Kyle Ball after two walks loaded the bases. Benito Varela welcomed Cruz with a sacrifice fly to left that was dropped by Chris Chatfield. Jorge Arenas had an RBI single, Baylen Sparks had a two-run single and Bogart drove in the last run with a ground ball.
 
USF got to within 7-6 when Genord hit his second home run of the night in the fourth inning, this one off Mike Materetsky, but Stetson came right back in the bottom of the frame to score two runs off Dylan Burns. Sparks doubled home Jacob Koos, who had singled, and then scored when E.J. Doskow was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
 
USF continued to battle from behind, scoring a run in the fifth off Ryan Stark on three hits. The Bulls were threatening to add more when Mitchell Senger came into the game from the Stetson pen.
 
The big left-hander showed flashes of the brilliance he displayed during the 2018 season, striking out six USF hitters, including the first four he faced, over 2.1 innings. The only run he allowed came in the seventh after surrendering a leadoff walk to Nick Gonzalez. A wild pitched moved Gonzalez to second before he stole third and scored on an errant throw by Benito Varela.
 
Stetson answered once again in the bottom of the inning, getting hits from Doskow and Arenas – an RBI double – to push the advantage back to two runs.
 
Senior Vlad Nunez came on to pitch in the eighth and surrendered a pair of doubles – one to Brandon Schrept and the second to Tyler Dietrich – getting the Bulls back to within 10-9. The Stetson closer settled down from there, retiring the final five USF hitters he faced to earn his fifth save of the year.
 
Stetson had just eight hits in the game, with two each from Sparks and Arenas who also combined to drive in five runs. Genord led the Bulls with four hits, driving in four.
 
The Hatters will head back onto the road to open ASUN play this weekend at league newcomer North Alabama. The series is scheduled to begin on Friday with a 7 p.m. start.
 
About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program has a vision of developing a culture of champions athletically, academically and within the community. This vision is accomplished through a mission of recruiting and developing student-athletes, coaches and staff, creating a culture of champions, within and outside of competition. The department operates with five core values: Championship Culture, Integrity, Excellence, Pride/Tradition and Leadership. To learn more about the Vision, Mission and Core Values for Stetson Athletics, visit GoHatters.com and click on Mission Statement under the Inside Athletics tab.