TAMPA (March 10, 2020) – The USF baseball team (6-10) scored a season-high 12 runs against Pittsburgh (10-6) to defeat the Panthers, 12-8 Tuesday night.
 
Jake Sullivan (Tampa, Fla.), Jordan Santos (Tampa, Fla.), and Dillon Besnier (Apollo Beach, Fla.) combined for 11 RBI during tonight's 12-8 victory.
 
Pittsburgh took the lead to start the game, scoring one run in the top of the first inning. The Bulls answered right back, scoring three runs in the bottom half of the first. Nick Gonzalez (Tampa, Fla.) ignited the rally drawing a leadoff walk. Carmine Lane (Lake Placid, Fla.) advanced Gonzalez to third on a single through the right side. JD Dutka (Suwanee, Ga.) drove in Gonzalez with a ground out to Chris Cappas. Jake Sullivan brought in the next two runs of the inning with a two-run double to left field, making it 3-1.
 
After Santos added two more runs in the bottom of the third for USF with a two-run single up the middle. Besnier broke the scoring open in the bottom half of the fifth. Santos drew a bases loaded walk to leave the bases juiced for the freshman outfielder. Besnier belted his first career grand slam off a fastball to deep left field. The Bulls tacked on two more runs in the seventh to lead 12-7.
 
Baron Stuart (Okeechobee, Fla.) picked up his first win of the season, recording six strikeouts through five innings.
 
QUOTABLE
Head coach Billy Mohl on tonight's win…
"The guys came out ready to play tonight. We got it handed to us this past weekend but we battled hard Sunday. These guys are hungry, they're not going to lay down. That's the offense I saw in the early spring and back in the fall. It was good to see those guys, especially the older guys like Santos and Sullivan step up for us."
 
NOTABLE

• Dillon Besnier hit his first career grand slam and second home run of the season.
• Jake Sullivan went 3-for-3 with three RBI, three runs, and two doubles.
• Riley Hogan (Orlando, Fla.)  went 3-for-3 with four runs, a double, and a walk.
• Jordan Santos went 2-for-4 with four RBI, a double, and a run.

 
About USF Baseball
The University of South Florida baseball program is one of the fastest rising programs in the country. The Bulls earned their third NCAA Regional berth in the last four seasons and had six all-conference selections in 2018. Four players were selected in the 2018 MLB Draft, including the program's fourth first rounder, pitcher Shane McClanahan. Third baseman David Villar was taken in the 11th round after being named first team all-conference and an All-American. 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 in head coach Billy Mohl first season 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 of the season. The USF Baseball program has won five conference titles and the Bulls have made 13 NCAA appearances.