Tampa, Fla. – In a back-and-forth game that went on to the very end, the Stetson Hatters plated four runs in the ninth inning at USF Baseball Stadium to take a 14-12 victory over the Bulls.
 
Kyle Ball delivered the deciding blow in the ninth inning when he delivered a bases-loaded double with one out and the game tied to score three runs. The Hatters (12-6) had a season-high 14 hits in the game, and needed every one to get their first win in four tries this year against the Bulls (7-7). The teams will square one more time in two weeks.
 
In a game that saw 13 total pitchers toe the rubber, very few came away unscathed. In fact, all six Stetson hurlers allowed at least one run and the Hatters held USF off the scoreboard un just the third and seventh innings.
 
Sophomore Danny Garcia put the game away in the bottom of the ninth, but barely avoided major trouble. After a leadoff single in the inning, Garcia got a ground ball to short that Ball turned into a double play. The next Bulls hitter, Roberto Pena, blasted his second home run of the night.
 
Garcia bounced back to strike out Riley Hogan to end the game.
 
Besides the two hits and three RBI from Ball, the Hatters got three hits from Hernen Sardinas, including an RBI triple and his ninth double of the year. He came to the plate in the eighth inning needing a home run for the cycle, but was intentionally walked. He lined out to shortstop to end the Stetson ninth.
 
Stetson got two hits each from Andrew MacNeil, Banks Griffith, Ryne Guida and Christian Pregent, who drove in three runs.
 
USF finished the night with 17 hits, including six for extra bases, but couldn't hold off the determined Hatters.
 
The Hatters will be return to Melching Field this weekend for four games, two each against Wichita State and FIU. The Shockers and Panthers will open the weekend against each other on Friday at 2 p.m. Stetson will face Wichita State in the evening game at 6:30 p.m.
 
Game Facts

• Win – Danny Garcia (2-0)
• Loss – Brad Lord (1-2)
• Time – 3:34

Scoring Summary

• B1 – USF picked up three runs on four consecutive two-out hits. Riley Hogan started it with a triple to right, scoring on a single by Carmine Lane. Matt Ruiz followed with a double to put two in scoring position for Nick Gonzalez, who singled them both home for a 3-0 Bulls lead.
• T2 – Hernen Sardinas led off with a double, moved up on an infield hit by Nick DiPonzio and scored on a ground ball to third when the throw home hit him in the back. After Ryne Guida singled to load the bases, Christian Pregent delivered a two-run single to knot the score at 3-3.
• B2 – After Nelson Rivera worked a 10-pitch walk, Roberto Pena blasted a two-run home run to left, putting the Bulls back in front 5-3.
• B4 – A single up the middle, a walk, a hit batter and a balk produced a run for USF, pushing the Bulls' lead to 6-3.
• T5 – After consecutive singles by Kyle Ball, Banks Griffith and Sardinas, two runs scored on a wild pitch when no one from USF covered the plate. After DiPonzio drew a walk, the Hatters pulled a double steal to tie the game at 6-6.
• B5 – Three singles and two sacrifice bunts, including a squeeze, put USF back in front 8-6.
• B6 – Drew Brutcher burned the Hatters again, hitting a solo homer to dead center, pushing the Bulls' lead to 9-6.
• T7 – Griffith reached on an error to open the inning and then scored on a triple by Sardinas. Eric Foggo delivered a sacrifice fly to center to score Sardinas and cut the deficit to 9-8.
• T8 – The Hatters took their first lead of the night when Andrew MacNeil followed an infield single by Jorge Arenas with a two-run homer to right.
• B8 – Brutcher led off the inning with a double, moved up on a fly ball to center and scored on a sacrifice fly to tie the game at 10-10. A pair of walks followed and the USF regained the lead when Julio Cortez was hit by a pitch to take an 11-10 lead to the ninth.
• T9 – The Hatters rallied, tying the game on a single by Pregent and taking the lead on a bases-clearing double by Kyle Ball for a 14-11 Stetson lead.
• B9 – Pena hit his second home run of the game, but it came after a double play erased base runners. T

Hatters Notes

• Freshman Ryne Guida made his first start for the Hatters, filling the DH role. He singled for his first career hit in his first at bat and had two hits in the game. It was his hit in the ninth inning that started Stetson's rally.
• Hernen Sardinas extended his season-opening streak reaching back with a leadoff double in the second. It was his NCAA best ninth two-base hit of the year.
• Both Sardinas and Arenas ran the streaks of reaching base in consecutive games to 16.
• The two runs scored for Arenas give him 101 in his career.
• The victory puts Stetson back on top in the all-time series against South Florida. The Hatters now lead the Bulls 89-88 all-time.

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.