Bulls Nearly Come Back Late in Loss to Shockers
TAMPA, FLA., May 16, 2019 – Trailing, 7-2, in the eighth, the USF baseball team scored four runs to make it 7-6, but the comeback fell short in Thursday's loss to Wichita St.
The Bulls (25-26, 7-15 The American) fell behind in the middle innings, as a five-run fifth from the Shockers (25-28, 8-14 The American) was sandwiched between scoring frames to make it 7-2.
A pair of leadoff walks in the eighth got something going for USF. With the bases loaded and on out, a
Tyler Dietrich (Naples, Fla.) single scored two. Two batters later,
Kyle Phillips (Orlando) doubled to right, scoring two more, making it 7-6. USF had the tying run on base in the ninth, but could not complete the comeback.
Key Stats
3 – Dietrich had a career high three hits, going 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBI.
3.2 – The bullpen of
Logan Lyle (Bartow, Fla.),
Pat Doudican (Wall, N.J.) and
Dylan Burns (Vero Beach, Fla.) combined to pitch the final 3.2 innings, allowing just one hit with five strikeouts.
Nota-Bulls
- Phillips finished with three RBI.
- USF still controls its own destiny, needing to win the next two games to secure a spot in the American Athletic Conference Baseball Championships next week in Clearwater.
Up Next
The Bulls and Shockers play game two Friday at 6:30 p.m. Righty
Collin Sullivan (Randolph, Mass.) will be on the mound for USF.
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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