FORT MYERS, Fla. (Interstat) — A dominant performance from its bullpen carried South Florida to a 7-3 road victory over Florida Gulf Coast on Tuesday night at Swanson Stadium.

The Bulls (21-4) used six relievers who combined for 7 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing just two hits while striking out nine, to stifle the Eagles’ offense and secure their fifth consecutive win. Florida Gulf Coast (17-8) managed nine hits but stranded 10 baserunners and hit into three double plays.

South Florida broke a scoreless tie in the top of the fifth inning. Bradke Lohry walked, stole second and scored on an RBI double down the left field line by Eli Thomas.

The Bulls then sent 11 men to the plate in a decisive six-run sixth inning to break the game open. The rally was fueled by patience and timely hitting against three FGCU pitchers. With the bases loaded, Jacob Green drew a walk to force in a run, and Jevin Relaford was hit by a pitch to bring in another. Ryan Pruitt delivered the key blow, a two-run single through the left side. A wild pitch allowed another run to score, and Thomas capped the inning with a sacrifice fly.

The most critical sequence of the game came from the South Florida bullpen, which inherited a 1-0 lead in the third and preserved it until the offense erupted. After starter Dominic Pontbriant went 2 2/3 innings, Brisen Tweedy, Jonah Sarabia and Jorge DeCardenas provided 5 1/3 innings of hitless relief, navigating around four walks.

Florida Gulf Coast finally broke through in the eighth inning against DeCardenas and Landon O’Donnell. With two on and one out, Javier Gorostola lined a two-run single to left. An error by second baseman Lohry allowed a third run to score, cutting the deficit to 7-3 and loading the bases.

South Florida turned to Ethan Sutton with the tying run at the plate. Sutton struck out Jeremy Comer swinging to end the threat, then worked a perfect ninth, striking out two, to seal the victory.

The Eagles’ Juan Santos, the team’s starting catcher, had a difficult night, going 0 for 4 with three strikeouts. Keaton Kangas singled and scored a run for FGCU.

Reed Biemiller provided two scoreless innings of relief for the Eagles, but Logan Eisenbarth was charged with three runs in the sixth without recording an out.

South Florida, which has won 14 of its last 15 games, opens a three-game American Athletic Conference series at Charlotte on Friday. Florida Gulf Coast, which has lost four straight, begins Atlantic Sun Conference play at home against Stetson on Friday. The two teams will meet again in Tampa on April 7.