CLEARWATER, Fla. – USF righthander Randy Fontanez withstood a slow start to retire the last 12 Pittsburgh hitters in order, allowing the Bulls’ lineup to take a 12-2 win in eight innings Wednesday in Game 4 of the BIG EAST Baseball Championship at Bright House Field.

The Bulls (33-23) will face Connecticut Thursday at 10 a.m. in a winners’ bracket game. Pittsburgh (28-20) will take on West Virginia at 8 p.m. Wednesday in an elimination game.

Fontanez, who allowed single runs in the the first and second innings, was nearly flawless the rest of the way in improving to 7-3 on the year. He registered only one strikeout, but didn’t walk a batter and allowed just three hits after the second inning.

Shortstop Sam Mende provided most of the offense for USF as he finished 2-for-4 with four RBIs, including a three-run home run that accounted for the 10-run margin to end the game.

The Panthers held a 2-1 lead after two innings as second baseman Chris Sedon homered in the first and John Schultz smacked an RBI single in the second.

USF, which scratched out a run in the first inning on a fielder’s choice, took the lead in the bottom of the third after the first three hitters reached base on two singles and a walk. Stephen Hunt’s grounder to second was misplayed, allowing two runs to score and Todd Brazeal came in the back door on a double-play ball to give the Bulls a 4-2 lead after three.

More defensive miscues cost Pittsburgh in the fifth inning after Jonathan Koscso’s double to left-center gave USF a 5-2 lead. Mende’s sharp line drive to second went just off Sedon’s glove for a single, bringing Brazeal in and Hunt would score after the Panthers’ second error of the game, giving USF a 7-2 lead.

Chris Rey stroked a ground-rule double down the rightfield line in the sixth to make it 9-2, and Mende put the game away in the eighth when he took the first pitch he saw from reliever David Kaye into the bullpen in leftfield to make it 12-2.

Pittsburgh starter Nate Reed took the loss, falling to 4-6 after being charged with nine runs (seven earned) in 5.2 innings. Designated hitter Kevan Smith and third baseman Frank Mercurio were the only Panther players with multiple hits.

2009 BIG EAST Baseball Championship

Bright House Field, Clearwater, Fla.

Tuesday, May 19 -

(Live video on www.bigeastbaseball.com, live audio on Sirius XM Radio)

Game 1 – No. 5 Notre Dame 14, No. 4 St. John’s 5

Game 2 – No. 1 Louisville 12, No. 8 Cincinnati 2

Game 3 – No. 6 Connecticut 6, No. 3 West Virginia 1

Wednesday, May 20

(Live video on www.bigeastbaseball.com, live audio on Sirius XM Radio)

Game 4 – No. 2 USF 12, No. 7 Pittsburgh 2

Game 5 – St. John’s vs. Cincinnati, 1 p.m.

Game 6 – Notre Dame vs. Louisville, 5 p.m.

Game 7 – West Virginia vs. Pittsburgh, 8 p.m.

Thursday, May 21 -

(Live video on www.bigeastbaseball.com, live audio on Sirius XM Radio)

Game 8 – Connecticut vs. USF, 10 a.m.

Game 9 – Loser of Game 6 vs. Winner of Game 5, 4 p.m.

Game 10 – Loser of Game 8 vs. Winner of Game 7, 7 p.m.

Friday, May 22 -

(Live video on www.bigeastbaseball.com, live audio on Sirius XM Radio)

Game 11 – Winner of Game 6 vs. Winner of Game 9, 10 a.m.

Game 12 – Winner of Game 8 vs. Winner of Game 10, 1 p.m.

*Game 13 – Loser of Game 11 vs. Winner of Game 11, 5 p.m.

*Game 14 – Loser of Game 12 vs. Winner of Game 12, 6:30 p.m. or 8 p.m.

*if necessary; game would be at 6:30 if Game 13 is not necessary, 8 p.m. otherwise

Saturday, May 23 - Championship game

(live television on ESPNU, live audio on Sirius XM Radio)

Game 15 – Winner of Group 1 vs. Winner of Group 2, 1 p.m.