Colleges

Gators' rally in ninth beats Bulls

By MIKE CAMUNAS
Published February 28, 2007

TAMPA - USF and Danny Otero missed an opportunity to prove a point Tuesday.

Up 5-3 in the ninth, Otero, who entered with a 0.41 ERA, gave up seven runs (one earned) as Florida rallied for a 10-5 win at Red McEwen Field.

"I had to get three outs," said Otero, who transferred from Duke for his senior season.

"I just didn't get it done. That's all I can say."

In front of the largest crowd this season - 2,426 with standing-room only - the Bulls (9-2) sought to prove their early success was not a fluke.

They took a lead in the third. Centerfielder Joey Angelberger hit a standup double and moved to third on a high chopper by catcher Braulio Pardo.

Angelberger, who went 2-for-4 with an RBI, scored on a passed ball, and Pardo later scored on a fielder's choice.

But the Gators (6-6) tied it in ninth on designated hitter Matt LaPorta's double to leftfield and took the lead on centerfielder Matt den Dekker's bases-loaded triple.

USF then left the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth.

"Who would ever thought Otero would give up seven runs like that?" Bulls coach Lelo Prado said.

"When you want to be a great program, you have to beat guys like (Florida). You have to hold on to those leads."

The Bulls got 51/3 innings from starter Matt Quevedo, a Tampa Catholic graduate. The freshman, however, gave up three runs on three hits.

FSU 16, N. FLORIDA 3: Jack Rye had six RBIs for the host Seminoles (14-0), who scored five in the fourth and four in the eighth.

Football

Florida State does not plan to release tight end Brandon Warren from his scholarship, coach Bobby Bowden said.

Warren, a standout freshman, left school this month to return home to Alcoa, Tenn. His mother has been ill, and she said her son wants to be closer to her and plans to transfer to Tennessee.

But without a release, Warren can't talk to Tennessee coaches. And if he enrolls, he will have to pay for his first year.

Bowden declined comment, citing student privacy rights.

DUKE: Receiver Raphael Chestnut was charged with misdemeanor death by vehicle for a crash Sunday. Police said alcohol or drugs weren't involved in the wreck, which happened on a curve during heavy rain. He also faces a charge of driving left of the center line. As a sophomore last season, Chestnut, scheduled for a April 16 court appearance, was second on the team with 39 catches. The school said it doesn't expect to discipline him.

COTTON BOWL: The New Year's Day game will be played at the Cowboys' new stadium in Arlington, Texas, starting in 2010. Board chairman Bruce Gadd said he hopes the stadium, which will have a retractable roof, will help the game be part of the BCS in the future. He said cold January weather was a key factor that kept the open-air Cotton Bowl stadium from being included in the postseason format when it was adopted in 1994.

SOFTBALL: Host USF swept a doubleheader 8-0 and 7-6 over Eastern Michigan. The Bulls scored six in the fifth of Game 1, capped by Aya Nakajima's grand slam, and seven in the first, capped by Cat Olnick's two-run double, of Game 2. ... Visiting Florida Southern scored three in the sixth to beat Tampa 4-1.

GOLF: Saint Leo's women opened the season by finishing 13th at the Lady Moc Classic in Lakeland, 44 shots behind winner Florida Southern.

Times staff writer Brian Landman contributed to this report, which used information from Times wires.

[Last modified February 28, 2007, 06:00:08]