TAMPA, Fla. - Despite a 3-for-3 effort with two doubles and a triple from junior Dan Betteridge (Sewell, N.J.), the Rutgers baseball team dropped a 6-3 decision to USF in its BIG EAST Conference opener Friday evening at McEwen Field in Tampa, Fla. 

USF (9-7) struck first when Stephen Hunt hit a two-out single to right field with the bases loaded to plate a run. The Bulls tried to score a second run on the play but the runner was gunned down at home plate.

Senior Vinnie Sangemino (Nutley, N.J.) reached base on an infield error with the bases loaded to allow a pair of runs to score as the Scarlet Knights (8-9) surged into the lead.

RU junior Casey Gaynor (Toms River, N.J.) pitched strong into the fifth inning before running into a jam. After giving up a pair of singles in the frame, Gaynor was replaced by freshman Steven Zavala (Randolph, N.J.) and the Bulls used a pair of doubles and a wild pitch to plate three runs and jump back on top, 4-2.

Sophomore Michael Lang (Dumont, N.J.) took the first offering of the seventh inning over the left-field wall to pull the Scarlet Knights within a run at 4-3, but the Bulls responded with two runs on four hits, capped by a double off the bat of Sam Mede.

Randy Fontanez struck out six and allowed one earned run on seven hits in seven innings of work to earn the win for the Bulls, while Gaynor suffered the loss with three runs on 10 hits and a pair of strikeouts in four innings.

The Scarlet Knights and Bulls will return to action Saturday with a 7:00 p.m. game at McEwen Field.