Bulls Head to Port Charlotte For Unique Opportunity Against Rays
MATCHUP: USF vs. Tampa Bay Rays
SCHEDULE: Tuesday, 6:05 p.m.
LOCATION: Charlotte Sports Park, Port Charlotte, Fla.
FOLLOW: Twitter updates
@USFBaseball
RADIO LINKS: AM 1040 and
BullsUnlimited
TAMPA, March 4, 2019 – For the first time since 2000, the USF baseball team gets a chance to play the Bay Area's pro team, as it heads to Port Charlotte for a matchup with the Tampa Bay Rays Tuesday evening.
As part of the Rays' Grapefruit League, it will be a split squad day for a team that finished 90-72 in 2018. The Bulls last faced the Rays in 2000, but have gotten the chance to play professional teams before. USF went to Steinbrenner Field in 2012 to take on the Yankees and hosted New York in 2008. The Bulls also played the Philadelphia Phillies back in 1999.
Although it will be an exhibition for USF, head coach
Billy Mohl is excited for the opportunity Tuesday night. "Our guys are looking forward to the experience of playing a Major League team, and it makes it even better that it is our hometown team."
USF is 6-4 on the year after a series sweep of Western Michigan. Seniors
Kyle Phillips (Orlando) and
Joe Genord (Lake Worth, Fla.) each hit .500 over the weekend with six runs, two homers and five RBI apiece.
Reigning Cy Young Award winner in the American League, Tampa's Blake Snell is expected to pitch against the Bulls Tuesday, among other big league arms. The Rays have plenty of former USF pitchers in their system, having drafted three former arms in the last three years.
Tampa Bay has selected a USF baseball player in four-straight MLB Drafts. Shortstop Kyle Teaf was selected in the 30
th round of the 2015 MLB Draft, righty Brandon Lawson was selected in the 12
th round of the 2016 draft, righty
Phoenix Sanders went in the 10
th round of the 2017 draft and lefty
Shane McClanahan was made a first-round selection in last year's draft.
TICKETS to the game range from $10-$15 for fans interested in attending. The game can be heard on AM 1040 and on BullsUnlimited.
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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