Bulls Host Bethune-Cookman Wednesday Night
MATCHUP: USF vs. Bathune-Cookman
SCHEDULE: Wednesday, 6:30 p.m.
LOCATION: Tampa, USF Baseball Stadium
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RADIO LINK: BullsUnlimited
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GAME NOTES
TAMPA, April 9, 2019 – The USF baseball team hosts Bethune-Cookman Wednesday in the second of three-straight home midweek contests.
The Bulls (14-16, 2-7 The American) salvaged the War on I-4 weekend series in Tampa, taking the finale Sunday afternoon, 6-3. Senior
Joe Genord (Lake Worth, Fla.) hit his ninth home run of the season, moving into fourth place on USF's all-time list with 40 career homers.
USF's bullpen was outstanding during the series, allowing just one run on nine hits in 15 innings. Of the four arms used, three pitched at least four frames.
The Matchup
The Bulls and Wildcats will meet for the 70th time on Wednesday. The Bulls own a 61-17 edge in the series. USF is 12-7 against Bethune-Cookman in the last 19 contests since 2011. The Bulls defeated the Wildacts, 7-4, on March 13 in Daytona Beach.
Genord matched a career high with four hits in that game, going 4-for-5 with a home run and two RBI. Classmate
Kyle Phillips (Orlando) went 2-for-5 with a run. Junior righty
Nelson Alvarez (Miami) pitched 2.1 innings and recorded all seven outs by way of the strikeout.
Know the Foe
The Wildcats (13-20, 6-6 MEAC) are led by three guys batting above .300. Nate Sterijevski leads the team with a .333 average. Senior Brandon Wilkes is second with a .322 average and 23 RBI. Joseph Fernando is third with a .317 average, six doubles and 21 runs.
Righty Isaak Gutierrez will get the start for the Wildcats Wednesday. He's 2-2 with a 3.21 ERA and 24 strikeouts, making his fifth start and eighth appearance. He tossed 5.2 inning getting the start on March 13, allowing three runs on four hits.
Nota-Bulls
- Junior lefty Noah Yager (Davie, Fla.) has tossed 21.2 innings over his last five appearances, surrendering 13 hits and just three runs with 18 strikeouts.
- USF has been bashing during midweek games this year, hitting .319 as a team in six contests.
- Genord is clubbing .652 with three doubles, five homers, 10 runs and 12 RBI, slugging an absurd 1.435 in those games. Phillips is hitting .481 and three other Bulls are batting above .310.
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.
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