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Yes, USF Baseball has performed poorly all season. A seven game conference losing streak that was finally snapped yesterday is why they were in this position in the first place. But what happened to them today seemed almost to be just mean.
The Bulls needed just one of the trio of Big East Champion Connecticut, Louisville, or Georgetown to win today, combined with a win themselves to make the conference tournament in Clearwater. Down 3-1 heading into the 9th, it seemed irrelevant what happened everywhere else. But they load the bases with no one out without the ball leaving the infield, and all of a sudden there's life. After a walk by Todd Brazeal and a fielders choice, Luis Llerena lays down a bunt that's scored as a single, which scores Brazeal and gives the Bulls the miracle win.
A wild celebration ensues on the field, but it goes for naught as all three other games break the wrong way, and USF will be sitting at home instead of across the bay in Clearwater next week.
For sure the Bulls have no one to blame but themselves. They went from 12-6 in the league to 14-13 in three weeks, and haven't shown much offensive punch all season. But to think you just pulled off a miracle win to keep your season alive, only then to find out it was worthless, is just cruel and unusual punishment.
As Adam Adkins reported yesterday, all indications are that Lelo Prado will return next season, but the seven seniors honored before the game today shall not. We wish them all the best in their future endeavors whether that involves baseball or not (check out this piece from Adkins on third basenan Jonathan Koscso to see that sometimes student-athletes indeed go pro in something other than sports), and hope they remain active members of the Bulls family.