TAMPA, Fla. - Down 5-3 with one out in the ninth against one of the nation's top closers, Rutgers' Frank Meade (Linden, N.J.) hit a two-run home run to tie it up and the Scarlet Knights defeated USF in extra innings, 7-5, to take the series from the Bulls.
Rutgers improved its BIG EAST-leading mark to 11-3 in league play and 23-14 overall, while USF fell to 9-8 in the conference and 27-14 overall.
With a two-run deficit against USF closer Shawn Sanford, who is among the nationally leaders with 10 saves, junior Jon Gossard (Harrington Park, N.J.) doubled to deep right field giving the Scarlet Knights life. On the next play, Meade, facing a full count, tied it up with a two-run home run over the right-field fence, igniting a celebration from the Rutgers bench and fans who made the trip south.
USF threatened for the win in the bottom of the ninth with the winning run on second and one out. RU elected to intentionally walk the next batter to set up a double play situation and the move proved to be successful as Chris Lillis (Fair Haven, N.J.) induced a 6-4-3, inning-ending double play to go to extra innings.
Rutgers continued its momentum in the top of the 10th as Todd Frazier (Toms River, N.J.) drew a four-pitch walk and stole second to move into scoring position with no outs. Senior Mike Bionde (Pompton Plains, N.J.) then laid a bunt down the right field line to sacrifice Frazier over to third and the Scarlet Knights, who were victimized by a pair of errors in regulation, capitalized on a USF error when Sanford's throw bounced in the dirt before first base, allowing Frazier to score the winning run. Rutgers didn't rest, however, building a two-run cushion when Dave Williams (Franklin, N.J.) drilled a ball to left field for an RBI single to score Bionde and make it 7-5.
Chris Lillis then rebounded from a hit batsman to lead off the 10th inning to shut the door with three-straight outs, including a game-ending punchout to earn the win and improve to 2-1 on the year. Rutgers handed Sanford just his second blown save of the season.
USF had built a 5-1 lead through five innings, using a pair of Scarlet Knight errors and six hits to score two runs in the first and three more in the fifth.
Rutgers got its lone run in the fifth when Meade delivered a ball down the left-field line for a leadoff double, moved to third on a balk and scored two batters later on a sacrifice bunt from Luis Feliz (New Brunswick, N.J.).
Rutgers starter Steve Healing (Brick, N.J.) was chased out of the game after hitting a batter to bring in a run in the fifth. He allowed three earned runs (five total) on six hits with a strikeout in 4.2 innings. Freshman Kevin Lillis (Fair Haven, N.J.) came in with the bases loaded in the frame and induced a fly out to prevent further damage.
The Scarlet Knights began their rally in the sixth when RU sandwiched a Ryan Hill (Hillsdale, N.J.) walk with a pair of singles by Bionde and Williams to bring home a second run. Later in the inning, Gossarddelivered a ball to the warning track in right field for a sacrifice fly to score Hill from third and cut USF's lead to 5-3 and set up the late-inning dramatics.
While RU was in the midst of its comeback, the Lillis brothers held the Bulls at bay with a combined 5.1 innings of two-hit scoreless relief. Kevin worked three innings before handing the ball over to older brother Chris, who finished it off with 2.1 innings to earn the win.
Sanford took the loss for USF, falling to 1-2 with four runs on two hits in one inning of relief after starter Chris Delaney allowed just three runs on seven hits with three strikeouts in eight innings for the no decision.
Rutgers will attempt to sweep USF with a noon game on Sunday at Red McEwen Field in Tampa. A pair of freshman righties will duel it out as Casey Gaynor (Toms River, N.J.) will be on the mound for the Scarlet Knights against Matt Quevedo for the Bulls.
