The Ohio State baseball team headed to Florida in hopes of a positive start to the 2012 campaign after posting a break-even record last year.

However, the first test of the season did not get off to the desired result.

The Buckeyes fell in their opener, 5-3, after a hardfought battle with the University of South Florida in St. Petersburg. The game was part of the Big Ten-Big East Challenge. The Buckeyes next face Seton Hall at 7 p.m. Saturday at Bright House Field in Clearwater.

Three OSU hitters – Ryan Cypret, Josh Dezse, and Mike Carroll – combined to go 7 of 13 at the plate with two runs scored, but the Buckeyes proceeded to strand 12 runners on base.

USF took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third as a runner from first scored on a three-base error by Brad Hallberg. However, Ohio State starter Brett McKinney was able to record a strikeout to end the threat.

The Bulls then used three walks and a pair of singles to plate three in the top of the fourth, but Ohio State answered back in a big way in the bottom of the fourth.

Cypret doubled to deep left to lead off the inning, advanced to third on a Dezse single and scored on a line drive single to right by Carroll. David Corna then singled to left to load the bases before Hallberg drove in Dezse with a fielder’s choice. Brad Hutton then reached on a fielding error by Taylor at shortstop as Corna came around to score and cut the USF lead to 4-3.

Kirby Pellant was hit by pitch to load the bases but Nick Gonzalez came on to strike out Tim Wetzel to end the inning.

The Buckeyes threatened again with runners on second and third and one out in the fifth but back-to-back strikeouts by Gonzalez put an end to the Ohio State rally.

USF then added a run in the top of the seventh to make it 5-3. That led to several missed opportunities by the Buckeyes.

They put runners on second and third and one out again in the eighth but a groundout to third by Hutton and a strikeout by Pellant left the Buckeyes still down by two heading to the ninth.

After Andrew Armstrong and David Fathalikhani combined to pitch a scoreless top of the ninth, Wetzel walked to lead off the bottom of the frame and Carroll’s two-out double put Buckeyes on second and third. However, Corna struck out looking to end the game against USF closer Ray Delphey.

Cypret and Carroll each finished 2 for 4 for the Buckeyes while Dezse went 3 for 5.

Gonzalez earned the win for USF, tossing 3.2 scoreless innings while striking out four.