Box Score

TAMPA, Fla. -- A three-run eighth tied the game before a 10th-inning walk brought home the game-winning run as the Elon Phoenix handed South Florida a 4-3 defeat in the opening of the Bulls' new stadium on Friday night.  In front of a USF-record crowd of 3,126 fans, Elon won for the fourth consecutive outing and for the third straight time in its final at bat.

After the first hitter of the Phoenix 10th was retired, USF walked three straight Elon (4-1) batters to load the bases.  With two outs, pinch-hitter Seth Canipe drew a walk on a 3-1 pitch to force home Eric Serra.

Thomas Girdwood retired the first two hitters of the bottom of the 10th before allowing the next two hitters to reach base.  With the tying run at second and the winning run at first, Girdwood faned Mende to end the game and give Elon the series-opening victory.

The Phoenix fell behind in the first inning when, after Jonathan Koscso was hit by a pitch, Sam Mende sent the first pitch he saw over the wall in right to give the Bulls (0-4) a 2-0 lead.

The score remained 2-0 until the bottom of the sixth when Daniel Rockhold belted a solo homer to left to give USF a 3-0 edge.  It would be the last hit of the night for the Bulls.

The Elon eighth began with a walk to Cyle Rasmus who then scored when Garrett Koster doubled down the left field line to get the Phoenix on the board.  Harry Austin followed by drawing a four-pitch walk to force a pitching change.  After Kevin Quackenbush came on to record two outs, Alex Swim singled up the middle to drive home Austin to make it a 3-2 game.  On the play, Niko Fraser, who had reached on a fielder's choice, went to third and Swim ended up at second.  USF looked like it would be out of the inning when Neal Pritchard swung through strike three, but a passed ball allowed Fraser to score to tie the game as Pritchard to reached first.

John Brebbia (1-0) picked up the win with a perfect ninth inning in relief of starter Kyle Webb who had another stellar outing.  Webb allowed three runs on five hits in 8.0 innings.  He did not walk a batter and struck out five.  The save was Girdwood's second of the season.

Swim's seventh-inning single extended his hitting streak to a career-long nine games as he finished the night 2-for-4 with one RBI.  Grant McCoury and Garrett Koster both recorded two of Elon's eight hits on the night.

USF's Kevin Quackenbush (0-1) was charged with the loss after giving up one run on one hit in 2.1 innings.  The Bulls wasted a gem by Randy Fontanez, a 23rd round pick of the Cincinnati Reds a year ago, who did not allow a run in 7.0 innings.  Fontanez did surrender six hits.

Elon and USF will play game two of this three-game set on Saturday night at 7 p.m. from the new USF Baseball Stadium.