TAMPA, Fla. -- Freshman Andrew Estrella and junior Banks Griffith racked up three hits each Tuesday night to help lead the Stetson Hatters to a huge 6-4 victory over South Florida at Red McEwen Field.

The Hatters improved to 24-28 on the year with the win while dropping USF to 26-26. The teams split their season series and the all-time series now stands at 90 victories each.

Sophomore right-hander Austin Amaral (4-2) was masterful on the mound for Stetson, working a career-high 8.0 innings while allowing just two runs on six hits. Nick Durgin came on to pitch in the ninth inning with USF threatening and slammed the door on the Bulls to earn his first career save.

The Hatters pounded out 11 hits against five USF hurlers in the game with Estrella and Griffith accounting for three hits each. Orion Kerkering (4-6) was the starter for USF and took the loss, allowing four Stetson runs in his 4.0 innings of work.

The Hatters got on the board early thanks to a leadoff triple from graduate Cameron Hill. Sophomore Christian Pregent cashed in that scoring chance with an RBI single for a 1-0 Stetson lead. Griffith and Estrella led the charge in the second with consecutive one-out hits. Estrella missed out on an RBI when he double into the corner bounced over the fence, but Hill followed with a sacrifice fly to put Stetson up 2-0.

That same duo paid dividends again in the fourth inning after Connor Kehl drew a walk to start the frame. After Kehl swiped second, Griffith singled up the middle to make it a 3-0 Stetson lead. A wild pitch moved Griffith into scoring position and Estrella drove him in with another single to center for a 4-0 Stetson lead.

Amaral had retired 12 of the first 15 Bulls hitters going to the fifth before USF was able to strike paydirt with a pair of solo homers, but the sophomore bounced back with a pair of ground ball outs to end the inning. He allowed just one more hit before the eighth inning when USF put two on base via walks, but a ground ball double play ended that threat.

Stetson tacked on important insurance runs in the sixth and eighth innings as both Kyle Ball and Estrella hit solo homers. 

USF got those two runs back in the ninth and had the tying runs on base when Durgin came on to get a strikeout and a game-clinching ground out.

The victory keeps Stetson's push to earn a spot in the upcoming ASUN Tournament alive. The Hatters will host Jacksonville at Melching Field beginning Thursday night with a trip to Fort Myers to play for an ASUN title within their reach. Game times Thursday and Friday are set for 6:30 p.m. Saturday's regular season finale is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start.

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