Bulls Welcome Western Michigan For Weekend Series
WEEKEND MATCHUP: USF vs Western Michigan
SERIES SCHEDULE: Friday, 7 p.m.; Saturday, 6:30 p.m.; Sunday, 1 p.m.
LOCATION: USF Baseball Stadium, Tampa
FOLLOW: Live stats |Twitter updates
@USFBaseball
RADIO LINKS: Friday-Saturday, Sunday - GoUSFBulls.com
WATCH: YouTube, Saturday-Sunday
GAME NOTES
TAMPA, FEB. 28, 2019 – The USF baseball team gets back to work Friday at home, as it opens a three-game series against Western Michigan.
After Tuesday's rain out that was slated to be played against No. 13 Florida State, the Bulls (3-4) return to the field after a tough weekend on the road at No. 6 UNC. USF outhit the Tar Heels, 15-14, but suffered three losses by a combined four runs.
Junior righty
Collin Sullivan (Randolph, Mass.) continued to be effective in his new Friday night role. He tossed 6.2 innings in the opener in Chapel Hill, striking out seven while allowing just one run.
Junior lefty
Logan Lyle (Bartow, Fla.) retired all 10 Tar Heels he faced in relief in the first game of Sunday's doubleheader. He struck out four and was named to the American Athletic Conference Weekly Honor Roll Monday. Lyle has allowed just one hit and one walk through his first 5.1 innings with eight strikeouts.
Sullivan gets the start Friday, followed by senior
Alec Wisely (Jacksonville, Fla.) Saturday and sophomore
Baron Stuart (Okeechobee, Fla.) Sunday. Stuart tossed 4.0 scoreless and hitless innings with six strikeouts in the 6-1 win against then-No. 5 Florida on Feb. 19. The offense had its best game of the year with 12 hits in that win.
The Matchup
This weekend will be the first meeting between the schools since 2001 in St. Petersburg. USF leads the all-time series against Western Michigan, 10-3.
Know the Foe
The Broncos enter the weekend at 1-5, hitting .265 as a team to rank second in the MAC. The team's seven homers are tied for first in the league. Redshirt sophomore Logan Hudson leads the team and ranks fourth in the MAC with a .429 average. Seniors Jesse Forestell and Drew Devine lead the Broncos with six RBI each. The defense ranks 22
nd in the NCAA in double plays per game (1.17).
On the mound, junior righty Tyler Thorington (0-0, 1.17 ERA) will start Friday. Junior righty Jack Szott (1-0, 4.09 ERA) will start Saturday, as he leads the team with seven strikeouts. Sunday is TBA.
Nota-Bulls
- Freshman Nick Gonzalez (Tampa) leads USF with a .300 average.
- Senior Kyle Phillips (Orlando) leads the Bulls with six RBI and two doubles, hitting .286.
- USF ranks 13th nationally allowing 6.05 hits per nine innings and leads The American with a 2.95 ERA through seven games.
- Sullivan sits atop the conference with 17 strikeouts.
Bulls Bits
- DID YOU KNOW?: USF has the only Division I coaching staff in the state of Florida in which every member was selected in the MLB Draft – head coach Billy Mohl (2006, Philadelphia); assistants Chuck Jeroloman (2004, Boston), Chris Cates (2007, Minnesota), Brian Jeroloman(2006, Toronto). The Bulls' coaching staff has a combined 25 years of playing experience in pro baseball.
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 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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