Bulls Head North For Series at UConn
MATCHUP: USF at UConn
SCHEDULE: Friday, 3 p.m. | Saturday, 1 p.m. | Sunday, 12 p.m.
LOCATION: Storrs, Conn., J.O. Christian Field
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GAME NOTES
TAMPA, May 9, 2019 – The USF baseball team heads to UConn for its final road series of the year, starting Friday at 3 p.m.
The Bulls (23-24, 5-13 The American) enter the final road trip and three road games of the season just one game behind Wichita St. for the final spot in the American Athletic Conference Championships in Clearwater, May 21-26. USF and the Shockers will play in the final weekend series next week.
USF will again go with the same weekend rotation as it has since the beginning of April. Sophomore righty
Baron Stuart (Okeechobee, Fla.) will start Friday. He has averaged nearly 7.0 innings in his last three starts. Junior right hander
Collin Sullivan (Randolph, Mass.) will start Saturday. He tossed 6.0 innings allowing just one run at Memphis last weekend. Senior
Alec Wisely (Jacksonville, Fla.) will get the nod Sunday.
Nota-Bulls
- Senior first baseman Joe Genord (Lake Worth, Fla.) is third on USF's all-time list with 44 career home runs. He's hitting a team best .349 with 52 RBI, both third in The American.
- Classmate Kyle Phillips (Orlando) is batting .323 on the year with 11 doubles, three triples and 36 runs.
- Redshirt sophomore Jake Sullivan (Tampa) is batting .375 over the last 10 games and is tied for second on the team with a s.323 average.
- Freshman Julio Cortez (Miami) has played in the last 18 games at either catcher or DH. He's batting .467 over the last five games and .383 in the limited action this season.
The Matchup
The Bulls own a 33-28 edge in the series against the Huskies. Both teams have taken 2-of-3 at home in each of the last two seasons. The Bulls won the first and last game of the conference opening series in 2018. The Bulls and Huskies then met in Clearwater at the American Athletic Conference Championships and split two games. Wisely pitched a seven-inning complete game in an elimination contest in which the Bulls defeated UConn, 13-0.
Know the Foe
The Huskies (29-19, 9-9 The American) have been built on pitching over the last several years and this year is no different, as the team boasts one of the top bullpen's in the conference. Jacob Wallace leads the league with 11 saves, pitching to a 0.94 ERA with 42 strikeouts. CJ Dandeneau has a 1.89 ERA with 46 strikeouts in 38 innings out of the bullpen, and Caleb Wurster has a 2.15 ERA with 25 strikeouts in relief. Lefty pre-season All-American Mason Feole (2-3, 3.44 ERA) will get the start Friday. Righty Jeff Kersten (5-3, 4.57 ERA) will start Saturday.
The offense has been solid as well, led by Michael Woodworth, hitting a team best .353 with five home runs, 48 runs and 33 RBI. John Toppa is hitting .330 with 12 doubles and 36 runs and pre-season All-Conference selection Anthony Prato is batting .316 with a team high 16 doubles.
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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