USF takes series rubber game over Tulane, 5-3

TAMPA, FL – USF starting pitcher Jack Cebert allowed visiting Tulane just one run over seven innings to power the host Bulls to a 5-3 win Saturday afternoon in Tampa.

The victory gave the home team the series and improved its record to 14-19 overall and 4-2 in the American Athletic Conference. The Green Wave dropped to 9-23 and 3-3 in the league.

Cebert (2-1) threw 80 pitches and surrendered just four hits and two walks, while striking out seven. Riley Skeen recorded his fifth save, pitching the eighth and ninth innings, giving up one run on one hit with two strikeouts.

Green Wave starter Ricky Castro (2-4) took the loss, allowing three runs on eight hits with four strikeouts and one walk in four and one-third innings.

USF stortshop Eric Snow went 3-for-3 at the dish with three runs, two RBI and two walks. Designated hitter Rafael Betancourt also posted three hits for the home team.

For Tulane, first baseman Brady Marget and right fielder Brady Hebert had two hits apiece.

With USF leading 3-0 in the top of the sixth inning, Green Wave designated hitter Brayden Morrow crushed a solo homer to right to trim the deficit to two. It was his second home run of 2023.

However, Snow answered in the bottom of the frame with a two-run shot of his own to stake the Bulls to a four-run advantage.

The Olive and Blue accounted for the game’s final two tallies when center fielder Teo Banks scored on a double play in the eighth and Seth Beckstead came home on a wild pitch in the ninth. Beckstead, a senior from Queen Creek, Arizona, reached base earlier in the inning on his first Tulane triple.

Marget slapped his team-leading eighth double of the season in the first inning for the Wave.

Tulane is back in action on Tuesday when top-ranked LSU comes to Greer Field at Turchin Stadium for a 6 p.m. start.

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