MEMPHIS, TENN., May 3, 2019 – The USF baseball team tallied 10 runs on 13 hits to win a high scoring series opener at Memphis Friday, 10-7.
 
The Bulls (23-21, 5-11 The American) took a 2-0 lead in the first before the Tigers (22-21, 6-9 The American) responded with three in the bottom half. USF retook the lead in the third on three runs, highlighted by a towering two-run homer from Joe Genord (Lake Worth, Fla.).
 
Memphis got one back in the bottom half to make it 5-4. But the Bulls loaded the bases with two away in the top of the fourth for Julio Cortez (Miami) who hit his first career homer, making it 9-4.
 
The Tigers plated two in the sixth and one in the seventh to make it 9-7. Junior righty Nelson Alvarez (Miami) entered with a runner at second in the seventh and recorded a much needed strikeout. He allowed just one hit over the final 2.1 for his seventh save of the year.  
 
Key Stats

6 – Cortez's RBI total, matching him with Genord and Jordan Santos (Tampa) for the team single-game lead this year. All three have hit a grand slam this season.
4 – Bulls with double-digit hits.
13 – Genord's 13^th homer of the year and the 44^th of his career.
16 – USF recorded 13 hits, the 16^th game with double-digit hits this year.   
    
Nota-Bulls

• Genord along with classmate Kyle Phillips (Orlando) and redshirt sophomore Jake Sullivan (Tampa) all had two hits.
• Sullivan had two runs and senior Chris Chatfield (Riverview, Fla.) scored three runs.
• Santos also scored three runs.
• Eight Bulls had hits.

Up Next

The Bulls and Tigers are scheduled to continue to series Saturday at 3 p.m. With rain in the forecast, the remainder of the weekend could get altered. Follow the Bulls on Twitter @USFBaseball for the latest updates.

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 11^th 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.