USF Athletics

USF hosts Niagara in final non-conference weekend series

March 24, 2022

GAMEDAY INFORMATION

University of South Florida (14-7) vs. Niagara University (2-15)

SCHEDULE: Friday, March 25 – 6:30 p.m. | Saturday, March 26 – 2 p.m. | Sunday, March 27 – 1 p.m.

BALLPARK: USF Baseball Stadium | Tampa, Fla.

ALL-TIME SERIES: Niagara leads, 1-0

TV: ESPN+

RADIO: iHeart Radio Bulls Unlimited

LIVE STATS: View

TWITTER UPDATES: @USFBaseball

TICKETS: Purchase / 1-800-Go-Bulls

GAME NOTES: View

2022 MEDIA GUIDE: View

 

TAMPA (March 24, 2022) – Coming off a midweek victory at FGCU on Tuesday, the Bulls return to USF Baseball Stadium for their sixth straight weekend of home baseball. South Florida has won each of its last four weekend series, including walk-off wins in each of the last two provided by Carmine Lane.

On Saturday, USF will recognize the 40th anniversary of its 1982 team which made the NCAA Regionals for the first time in program history. The Bulls entered the 2022 season with 14 regional appearances since that team's inaugural trip. USF head softball coach and member of the 1982 team, Ken Eriksen, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch for the game. Sunday will also be another Kid's Day at the Ballpark and a Bark in the Park game.

The Bulls have won seven of their last nine games overall. USF launched five home runs in Tuesday's 16-7 win at FGCU. The Bulls have scored 10 or more runs five times this season and launched three or more homers in a game four times. 

Lane leads the AAC this season in hits (35), RBI (31) and total bases (62). Drew Brutcher leads the league in homers (9) and ranks second in RBI (26). Brutcher has already set new career highs in both categories, and has seven home runs and 17 RBI over his last 11 games – including a trio of two-homer performances. Both players were named Freshman All-Americans last season.

The Bulls open conference play next weekend at UCF in what will be their first away series of the year.

Matt Ruiz was named to the AAC Honor Roll on Monday, becoming the fourth Bull this season to earn the nod. Ruiz recorded a .500 OBP and a .462 batting average over four games last week, including two doubles, four RBI, five runs scored and a stolen base. Freshman Jackson Mayo was named the American Player of the Week two weeks ago.

Roberto Pena has also had a red-hot bat for the Bulls the past week. Over the last five games, Pena is batting .375 with a 1.503 OPS. He has a double, a triple two homers and seven RBI, along with seven free passes and nine runs scored over that span.

South Florida enters the weekend ranked 18th in the NCAA in walks (115), 28th in homers (30), 34th in OBP (.409) and 51st in runs scored (152). On the mound, USF is 78th in the country in walks/9-inn. (3.72) and 80th in strikeout/walk ratio (2.45). The Bulls have recorded 191 strikeouts on the mound which ranks third in the AAC.

Probable Pitching Matchups

Friday – RHP Orion Kerkering (3-1, 2.25 ERA) vs. LHP Evan Wilde (1-3, 6.28 ERA)

Saturday – RHP Jack Jasiak (1-0, 1.61 ERA) vs. LHP Jacob Bruning (0-4, 6.52 ERA)

Sunday – RHP Brad Lord (2-2, 5.51 ERA) vs. RHP Marcus Chashman (0-2, 5.68 ERA)

 

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 57^th 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.

– #GoBulls –