TAMPA, FEB. 17, 2017 – Trailing 4-0 in the bottom of the eighth inning, the University of South Florida baseball team erupted for nine runs in the frame to earn a season-opening 9-4 victory over Iowa Friday night.

The Bulls (1-0) were led by two hits apiece from junior shortstop Kevin Merrell (Odessa), sophomore outfielder Chris Chatfield (Riverview) and senior designated hitter Luke Borders (Winter Haven).

The Hawkeyes drew first blood with a run in the first, then added to the lead with runs in the fifth, seventh and eighth innings.

Starter Nick Gallagher had gone 7.0 innings, allowing six hits and one earned run before being taken out after a leadoff walk in the eighth inning. Zach Daniels was called upon in relief and the Bulls made him pay with three hits and four runs, including the go-ahead, two-run double from sophomore outfielder Cameron Montgomery (Windermere). Josh Martsching relieved Daniels after two outs, but USF kept the hits coming with four more base knocks.

Fellow sophomore Andrew Perez (Orlando) closed the door on Iowa in the ninth with a 1-2-3 inning.

Key Stats

1 – Freshman D.J. Roberts (Jacksonville) picked up his first-career win in his collegiate debut.

8 – Senior ace Phoenix Sanders (Gainesville) struck out eight batters in 5.0 innings of work.  

13 – The Bulls tallied 13 hits in the win.

Quotables

Head coach Mark Kingston on his team's explosive eighth inning and comeback win:

“We put a lot of balls in play all game long, stuck with it and things finally turned for us in that eighth. Give credit to their starting pitcher, he was effective and we were trying to be aggressive, but we didn't strike out a whole lot which was big for us later on. It's just one game, but it was a good first game for us and builds confidence going forward.”

Sophomore Cameron Montgomery on his go-ahead double and the eighth inning:

“I think summer ball really helped in my ability and I'm a much more confident player at the plate this year. That eighth was one of the best innings I've ever been a part of and when everyone is enjoying the game like that, it's great.”

Notables

• The Bulls earn an Opening Day win for the third time in the last four years.
• USF is now 3-0 against Iowa all-time.
• Eight USF players recorded hits in the win.
• Sophomore infielder Coco Montes (Miami) tallied three hits.
• Merrell finished with a pair of hits, a run scored and two RBIs.
• Chatfield also registered two hits, a run scored and an RBI.
• Borders posted two hits and a pair of RBIs.

Up Next

The Bulls will play the middle game of the series against the Hawkeyes on Saturday afternoon. With inclement weather in the forecast, first pitch has been moved to noon at USF Baseball Stadium.  

Fans can purchase season tickets, flex plans and single-game tickets at USFBullsTix.com or by calling 1-800-Go-Bulls.

About USF Baseball

The University of South Florida baseball team is one of the fastest rising programs in the country. Under the guidance of first year head coach Mark Kingston, the Bulls reached the NCAA Regionals in 2015 for the first time in 13 years and USF followed that success with a consensus Top 10 recruiting class. Five players from that recruiting class were everyday starters in 2016 including outfielder Chris Chatfield (Riverview, Fla.), who led the team in home runs, and catcher Joe Genord (Lake Worth, Fla.), who was named the 2016 PGCBL Player of the Year. The USF Baseball program has won five conference titles and the Bulls have made 11 NCAA appearances. Follow the baseball team on social media (Twitter | Facebook | Instagram), visit GoUSFBulls.com for the most up-to-date information, and purchase tickets for upcoming games at USFBullsTix.com .   

– #GoBulls –