Borders beats Pirates again, USF takes series

Staff report
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Post-game audio: Cliff Godwin, Garrett Brooks, Bryce Harman...

GREENVILLE — For the second straight game a home run by Luke Borders proved decisive as South Florida topped East Carolina 6-5 Sunday to take a 2-1 American Athletic Conference series win.

Borders had a three-run blast to break at tie at 1 in the top of the ninth and lift the Bulls to a 5-1 win Saturday.

A solo homer by Borders in the sixth inning Sunday put the Bulls ahead 6-5 after ECU had taken a 5-1 lead in the bottom of the second.

Garrett Brooks had a two-run double and Bryce Harman had a two-run homer in the Pirates' big inning.

Jeff Nelson was subsequently hit by a pitch, stole second and went to third on a wild pitch. He scored on a ground out to second by Parker Lamm as ECU went ahead, 5-1.

"We didn't do anything after that and that was unfortunate," said Pirates coach Cliff Godwin.

The ECU skipper said starting left-hander Jacob Wolfe didn't have his best stuff.

"I knew it and he knew it," Godwin said.

Joe Genord had a two-run homer off Wolfe with two down in the third after a leadoff single by Borders to trim the lead to 5-3.

The Bulls tied the score at 5 in the fifth after an ECU error with two out prolonged the inning and USF got a two-run double from Kevin Merrell off Pirates freshman reliever Sam Lanier.

Chris Holba (3-1) yielded the homer to Borders.

Joe Cavallaro (5-3) went seven innings for the win and Tommy Eveld pitched the last two frames for his ninth save.

The Bulls outhit ECU 10-5 and left 16 runners on base compared to two for the Pirates.

USF improved to 23-28 overall and 8-13 in the league.

ECU (31-19-1, 12-8-1 AAC) hosts Campbell on Senior Night on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.

"It's Senior Night and it's important for us to come out and play well," Godwin said. "I remember my Senior Night and it's special."

PAGE UPDATED 05/16/16 01:44 PM.

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