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Cougar Baseball Splits on Opening Day

Baseball USF Athletics

Cougar Baseball Splits on Opening Day

In the first game of the season, Matt Guiliano and his USF baseball team are almost always a sure bet.

The Cougars went into their doubleheader with Regis University 3-1 on Opening Day with Guiliano as the head coach.

While Guiliano improved to 4-1 at USF's helm in the opening game of the season with a 6-5 win, the Cougars dropped the second game to the Rangers 7-4.

"The guys looked good, but there's defintely room for improvement," Guiliano said. "Our pitchers need to work a little better when we're ahead. We have two more tough games tomorrow against Regis and we need to clean up our defense and stay sharp at the plate."

Due to snow on the Rangers' home field, the games were moved from Denver to Pueblo, Colo.  

In the first game, the Cougars out-hit the Rangers 13-7 and senior first baseman Jimmy Maxwell was 3-for-5 with two RBI.   

In the top of the first, USF notched two hits to go up 1-0 on the Rangers. Maxwell knocked a double to center field that scored Damian Kardas. Santos opened the third inning with a single. He then stole second and scored when Maxwell belted another two-bagger. Anthony Williams followed with a single that plated Maxwell and gave the visitors a 3-0 lead.

USF tacked on another run in the fourth when a Santos double scored Brennden Ward.

The Rangers got on the board in the sixth inning thanks in part to a Cougar infield error and made a push in the bottom of the seventh, stringing together four hits and plating three runs to tie the game at 4-4.

USF responded with two runs in the top of the eighth to regain the lead. Maxwell recorded his third double of the day and scored when Austin Goodenow followed suit with a long double to left field. Dylan Dwyer hit a line drive in the right center field gap that plated Goodenow.

The Rangers cut the visitors' lead to 6-5 in the bottom of the eighth but went three up, three down in the ninth to create the final margin.

Cougar starting pitcher Noah Coleman went 6.1 innings, surrendering four runs on six hits with two strikeouts and a walk. He was relieved by Derek Fischer, who gave up one run on one hit with three strikeouts and was credited with the win.

Coleman's counterpart, Regis starting pitcher Charlie Henderson would be roughed up for five innings, giving up four earned runs on ten hits with one walk and six strikeouts.

An early hole doomed the Cougars in the nightcap. In the top of the first, Ranger designated hitter Jon Shoutta bashed a three run homer off of Chris Nichols to put Regis ahead, 3-0.

Fischer's two RBI single drew the game to within a run in the following inning. The score remained 3-2 until the bottom of the fifth when the Rangers cushioned their lead with four runs on five hits.

USF scored two runs in the seventh to cut the deficit to 7-4, but couldn't add any more and the game ended on groundout to second base by Ward.

Nichols was tagged with the loss after allowing seven runs on 11 hits with three strikeouts.

Fischer was 2-for-2 with two RBI. Anthony Williams and Damian Kardas each tallied an RBI single.

USF and Regis will wrap up their four-game series tomorrow. Senior Brady Nolz will start for the Cougars in game one and freshman Eric Brothers will make his first collegiate start in game two. First pitch is scheduled for 11:00 a.m.       
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Players Mentioned

Noah Coleman

#19 Noah Coleman

LHP/OF
5' 10"
Freshman
Dylan Dwyer

#23 Dylan Dwyer

C/INF
6' 0"
Freshman
Derek Fischer

#29 Derek Fischer

RHP/INF
6' 1"
Freshman
Austin Goodenow

#17 Austin Goodenow

RHP/INF
6' 2"
Freshman
Brennden Ward

#21 Brennden Ward

C
5' 10"
Junior
Eric Brothers

#34 Eric Brothers

RHP
6' 3"
Freshman
Jimmy Maxwell

#27 Jimmy Maxwell

INF
6' 2"
Senior
Chris Nichols

#39 Chris Nichols

RHP/INF
6' 2"
Junior
Brady Nolz

#2 Brady Nolz

RHP
5' 9"
Senior
Anthony Williams

#7 Anthony Williams

OF
6' 1"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Noah Coleman

#19 Noah Coleman

5' 10"
Freshman
LHP/OF
Dylan Dwyer

#23 Dylan Dwyer

6' 0"
Freshman
C/INF
Derek Fischer

#29 Derek Fischer

6' 1"
Freshman
RHP/INF
Austin Goodenow

#17 Austin Goodenow

6' 2"
Freshman
RHP/INF
Brennden Ward

#21 Brennden Ward

5' 10"
Junior
C
Eric Brothers

#34 Eric Brothers

6' 3"
Freshman
RHP
Jimmy Maxwell

#27 Jimmy Maxwell

6' 2"
Senior
INF
Chris Nichols

#39 Chris Nichols

6' 2"
Junior
RHP/INF
Brady Nolz

#2 Brady Nolz

5' 9"
Senior
RHP
Anthony Williams

#7 Anthony Williams

6' 1"
Junior
OF