CLEARWATER, Fla. – The Alabama State baseball team lost to host South Florida 12-4 in the final day of the Opening Weekend Challenge at Bright House Field.
After falling behind 4-0 after the first inning, the Hornets (1-2) scored three runs in the fourth.
Einar Muniz led off with a double to right field, and
Cesar Rivera walked.
Waldyvan Estrada drilled a 1-2 pitch down the left field line for a double, scoring Muniz and Rivera.
Chris Biocic then tripled to right field as Alabama State cut the deficit to 4-3.
However, South Florida (2-1) pulled away by scoring two runs in the fourth, two in the fifth, and one in the sixth to take a 9-3 lead.
ASU added another run in the seventh.
Yamil Pagan, who went 3-for-4 in his first career start, doubled to lead off the inning and scored on a single to right by Muniz.
The Bulls then added two runs in the seventh and one in the eighth for the final margin.
"We had a good chance to tie the game after a bad start on the mound," Alabama State head baseball coach
Mervyl Melendez said of the fourth inning. "Not being able to get the run home from third base was probably the turning point of the game, along with not being able to field a bunt in a key situation defensively. Those two plays hurt us a little bit. On the bright side, we were able to play a lot guys in the game and we were able to evaluate what they can contribute. Now we can move forward and look ahead to Wednesday and the weekend."
Alabama State returns to action Wednesday at Auburn at 3 p.m., with the radio broadcast on bamastatesports.com. The baseball home opener is Saturday with a doubleheader at 1 p.m. vs. Florida A&M at the Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex.
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