Bulls host (RV) Mercer in three-game weekend series
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
University of South Florida (11-6) vs. Mercer University (15-2)
SCHEDULE: Friday, March 18 – 6:30 p.m. | Saturday, March 19 – 2 p.m. | Sunday, March 20 – 1 p.m.
BALLPARK: USF Baseball Stadium | Tampa, Fla.
ALL-TIME SERIES: USF leads, 4-1
TV: ESPN+
RADIO: iHeart Radio Bulls Unlimited (Sunday's Channel TBD)
LIVE STATS: View
TWITTER UPDATES: @USFBaseball
TICKETS: Purchase / 1-800-Go-Bulls
GAME NOTES: View
2022 MEDIA GUIDE: View
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TAMPA (March 17, 2022) – Coming off a midweek victory at FIU on Tuesday, the Bulls return to USF Baseball Stadium for their fifth straight weekend of home baseball. South Florida's opponent, the Mercer Bears are the Bulls' toughest opponent on paper to date, dating back to opening weekend of the 2022 season.
Mercer is receiving votes in both the NCBWA and USA TODAY coaches poll. The Bears suffered just their second loss of the season on Wednesday before departing for Tampa. Mercer is one of only three teams in the county to rank in the top 10 in runs/game and team ERA (Tennessee & Virginia).
True freshman Jackson Mayo is the reigning American Player of the Week and closer Hunter Mink was named to the AAC Honor Roll this past week. Mayo made an offensive splash last week, batting .500 including the first two homers of his career, both coming last Friday night against Bradley.
H. Mink has taken over the ninth inning role for the Bulls and has not allowed a run over 10.0 IP while striking out 18 batters and recording five saves.
Drew Brutcher, Daniel Cantu and Carmine Lane each enter the weekend riding a 17-game streak of reaching base safely. That marks a new career high for Cantu and Lane while Brutcher went 19 straight games a year ago.
Cantu matched a program record on Tuesday at FIU by drawing five walks as USF collectively earned 20 free passes – 15 walks and five HBP. Cantu leads the Bulls with a .514 OBP this season.
Lane leads USF with a .394 batting average, 12 extra-base hits and 23 RBI. Brutcher is hitting .348 with six homers and 19 RBI.
Pitching Matchups
Friday – RHP Orion Kerkering (2-1, 2.45 ERA) vs. RHP Josh Harlow (3-0, 2.26 ERA)
Saturday – TBD vs. LHP Tanner Hall (1-1, 3.55 ERA)
Sunday – TBD vs. TBD
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For tickets, please visit usfbullstix.com or call 1-800-Go-Bulls.
About USF Baseball
The USF Baseball program played its first season in 1966 and is entering its 57th season in 2022. Head coach Billy Mohl is entering his fifth season at the helm. The Bulls have made 14 NCAA Tournament appearances, including four since 2015, and earned their first-ever Super Regional berth in 2021. USF was ranked in the Top 25 by five different publications in the final 2021 polls, checking in as high as No. 16. The Bulls have won five conference tournament titles (3 Sun Belt, 1 Metro and 1 American) and six regular season championships (3 Sun Belt, 2 Metro and 1 C-USA). USF baseball players have been recognized with All-America honors 12 times, most recently with third baseman David Villar in 2018, and 18 have earned Freshman All-America accolades, most recently Drew Brutcher and Carmine Lane in 2021. Four players were selected in the 2018 MLB Draft, including the program's fourth first-round selection in pitcher Shane McClanahan, who made his Major League debut with the Tampa Bay Rays in the 2020 World Series and was the Rays' postseason game one starter in 2021.
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