USF Continues BIG EAST Play With Three-Game Series At Cincinnati
March 30, 2006 | Baseball
The University of South Florida baseball team (14-12, 5-1 BIG EAST) continue BIG EAST action with a three-game series versus the Cincinnati Bearcats (13-10, 0-3 BIG EAST). The weekend series will mark the first conference road series for USF this season. The Bulls are coming off a mid-week, non-conference loss at No. 15 Florida on Wednesday. Despite out-hitting the Gators 15-7, USF dropped its first outings in six tries. The Bulls enter this weekend having won their last four conference games.
USF is hitting .298 on the year with five home runs and 128 RBI. Lead the way offensively for the Bulls is senior Kris Howell, who is batting .364 this season. Howell has driven in 11 runs and scored 16. Freshman Addison Maruszak enters Friday's contest hitting .358 with 17 RBI and 19 runs scored. The Pinellas Park, Fla., native leads USF with nine doubles. Junior Ty Taborelli improved his season average to .321 with a 2-for-3 performance versus the Gators on Wednesday. Taborelli has scored six runs while driving in 10 in 2006.
USF's pitching staff enters this weekend's series with a 3.67 ERA. The Bulls have struck out 217 opponents in 243 innings pitched. On the mound for the Bulls on Friday will be junior Casey Hudspeth. The right-handed hurler has registered a team-high 50 Ks this year, following a career-high, 12-strikeout performance in his last outing (3/24 vs. Seton Hall). Hudspeth has registered a 3-2 record with a 3.22 ERA. Saturday's starter will be Daniel Thomas, who enters the Cincinnati series with a team-best 2.72 ERA. Thomas has struck out 32 batters in 39 and two-thirds innings of action in 2006. Sophomore Davis Bilardello will take the mound for the Bulls on Sunday. The left-hander has compiled a 3.54 ERA with a 1-1 record this season.
The weekend's series marks the first time since the 2002 season in which the Bulls travel to Cincinnati to face the Bearcats. Friday's game will be the first-ever for Cincinnati's UC Baseball Stadium (opened during the 2004 season).
