Dylan Buck
4
Samford SAM 0-1
7
Winner South Florida USF 1-0
Samford SAM
0-1
4
Final
7
South Florida USF
1-0
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Samford SAM 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 4 7 2
South Florida USF 1 3 1 0 2 0 0 0 X 7 9 2

W: Sullivan, Collin (1-0) L: Samuel Strickland (0-1)

Game Recap: Baseball | | By TOM ZEBOLD | USF Senior Writer

Sullivan, Freshmen Gonzalez and Buck Shine in Season-Opening Win

By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer

TAMPA, FEB. 15, 2019 – Collin Sullivan struck out a career-high 10 batters while freshmen Nick Gonzalez and Dylan Buck provided the power with homers in USF's 7-4 win over Samford in Friday's season opener.

Sullivan (1-0) started his junior season in solid fashion, topping his previous top strikeout total by two and surrendering just two earned runs on four hits in six innings of work.

USF jumped out to a 5-0 lead through three innings in its sixth straight season-opening win. Gonzalez (Tampa) went 2-for-4 and spotted the Bulls a 4-0 lead in the second with a three-run homer in his first collegiate at-bat. Buck (Lakewood Ranch, Fla.) hit a solo homer in the third, two innings after Joe Genord (Lake Worth, Fla.) started his 2-for-4 performance with an RBI double.

Following a one-two-three first for Sullivan, the Bulls' bats made noise right away with singles by Kyle Phillips (Orlando) and JD Dutka (Suwanee, Ga.), who finished with two hits. That set the stage for Genord, who plated USF's first run of the year by roping an RBI double to left-center.

The lead grew to 4-0 after Gonzalez sent the second pitch he saw as a Bull over the fence in left field. The freshman power surge continued in the third frame when Buck jumped on a 1-0 pitch and lifted a solo shot onto the berm in left field. Both homers were hit against Samford starter Samuel Strickland (0-1), a Collegiate Baseball preseason All-American, who gave up just two homers in 81.0 innings last season.

Following Strickland's four-inning outing, USF packed the bags with no outs in the fifth and extended its lead to 6-1 with a walk by DH Jordan Santos (Tampa). Tyler Dietrich (Naples, Fla.) plated another Bull with a sacrifice fly in the frame, which provided enough support for the Bulls' pitching staff.

Dylan Burns (Vero Beach, Fla.) allowed an earned run in two innings before Nelson Alvarez (Miami) struck out a pair of batters in the ninth.

Key Stats
2 – Homers by freshmen Nick Gonzalez and Dylan Buck produced four of USF's seven runs.
6 – USF has won six straight season openers.
7 – USF took control of the game by scoring seven runs in the first five innings.
10 – Collin Sullivan struck out a career-high 10 batters in six innings.

Notables
  • USF has won six straight season openers and has been victorious on opening night in seven of the past eight years. The Bulls improve to 38-16 overall on opening day. 
  • Collin Sullivan set a new career high with 10 strikeouts, two more than his previous top total set against No. 6 North Carolina on Feb. 18, 2018.
  • Second-year head coach Billy Mohl improved to 37-22-1 with USF after leading the Bulls to their third NCAA Regional appearance in four years last season.
  • Freshman Nick Gonzalez homered in his first collegiate at-bat on a hit-and-run in the second inning. Gonzalez totaled two homers in his prep career at Tampa's Alonso High School.
  • Gonzalez and fellow freshman Dylan Buck, USF's shortstop and third baseman, combined for two homers, three hits, four RBI and two runs.
Up Next
Senior right-hander Alec Wisely (Jacksonville, Fla.) is scheduled to start in Saturday's second game of the series that's set for a 6:30 p.m. start at USF Baseball Stadium. Purchase tickets at USFBullsTix.com.
 
About USF Baseball
The University of South Florida baseball team is one of the fastest rising programs in the country. The Bulls reached the NCAA Regionals in 2015 for the first time in 13 years and followed that success with a 42-19 record and second NCAA regional trip in three years in 2017. The Bulls continued the success under first-year head coach Billy Mohl in 2018, reaching 36 wins and advancing to the semifinals of the conference tournament for the first time since 2012, while being ranked in multiple polls for the final two months. USF earned its third NCAA Regional berth in the last four seasons and had six all-conference selections in 2018. The team had four players drafted in the 2018 MLB Draft, including the program's fourth first rounder, Shane McClanahan. Junior third baseman David Villar was taken in the 11th round after tallying 24 doubles and hitting better than .370, being named first team all-conference and an All-American. The USF Baseball program has won five conference titles and the Bulls have made 13 NCAA tournament appearances.
 
Follow the baseball team on social media (Twitter | Facebook | Instagram) and visit GoUSFBulls.com for the most up-to-date information. 
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