Box Score

TAMPA, Fla. -- Todd Brazeal's one-out, ninth-inning homer broke a 2-2 tie and sent the South Florida Bulls to a 3-2 win over the visiting Elon Phoenix on Saturday night.  The two sides will meet for the rubber match of the series at 1 p.m. on Sunday afternoon.

With two outs and Seth Canipe on first in the top of the fourth inning, Garrett Koster grounded a ball to short that should have ended the inning, but the throw sailed high putting Phoenix (4-2) runners at second and third.  A walk to Cyle Rasmus loaded the bases before Sebastian Gomez recorded the first hit of his career, a two-RBI single to center that put the Phoenix on top 2-0.

USF (1-4) cut its deficit in half in the bottom of the fifth.  A walk and passed ball had Junior Carlin at second with two away when Luis Llerena broke up Ken Ferrer's no-hitter with a flair single down the right field line that plated Carlin.

With one away in the last of the seventh, Brazeal singled to right before a walk to Carlin put two aboard.  Chad Taylor lined a single to center to drive home Brazeal to even the score at two apiece.  The play allowed Carlin to end up on third, but Taylor was gunned down trying to go to second for the second out.  Dylan Clark then came on to fan pinch-hitter Jimmy Falla to end the inning.

Elon mustered just three hits on the night, including one from Alex Swim who extended his hitting streak to a career-best 10 games.

Brazeal ended the night 2-for-4 with two runs scored and one RBI to lead the Bulls who tallied just five hits.

Ferrer tied a career-high with eight strikeouts over 6.1 innings of work.  He allowed just three hits and two runs (one earned) and walked just one.  Clark (0-1) took the loss after giving up one run on one hit in 1.2 innings of relief work.

Zach Pietrzyk (1-0) was the winner after tossing one shutout inning.  USF starter Andrew Barbosa went 4.0 frames, striking out eight and allowing both Elon runs.