Adan Longoria v Maine 2024
6
Maine MAINE 2-11
16
Winner South Florida USF 10-6
Maine MAINE
2-11
6
Final
16
South Florida USF
10-6
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Maine MAINE 0 0 4 0 2 0 0 6 5 2
South Florida USF 0 4 0 1 4 0 7 16 11 2

W: Volini, Joey (3-0) L: Tyler Nielsen (0-1) S: Scrape, Kyle (1)

Game Recap: Baseball |

USF Baseball’s patient offense produces another huge inning late in 16-6 win over Maine

The Bulls drew 13 walks on Wednesday and delivered a seven-run seventh inning to run-rule the Black Bears.

TAMPA (March 13, 2024) – It was a back-and-forth slog on Wednesday night between the University of South Florida (10-6) and the University of Maine (2-11) through five innings at USF Baseball Stadium before the Bulls hung another crooked number on the scoreboard late in the game to run-rule the Black Bears, 16-6, in seven innings.

South Florida's recent four-game winning streak was snapped on Sunday, but prior to that the Bulls had outscored their opponents 27-1 in the eighth and nine innings of those four games. On Wednesday, the offense went into overdrive an inning earlier with a seven-run seventh frame for USF's sixth run-rule victory of the season.

The Bulls drew 13 walks on Wednesday night, including six in the seventh inning and five straight at one point.

USF led 4-0 after the second inning only to see Maine tie the game in the top of the third. The Bulls answered with a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the fourth and the Black Bears proceeded to claim a 6-4 lead in the top of the fifth. USF regained its lead, 9-6, in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Drew Brutcher (Lakeland) and Jackson Mayo (St. John's) paced the offense with a pair of hits and three RBI each. John Montes (Toa Alto, Puerto Rico) went 3-for-4 with three runs scored and two RBI and Stewart Puckett (DeLeon Springs) opened the scoring on the night with a two-run double and finished the game with three runs scored.

Four different Bulls drew at least two walks in the game led by Marcus Brodil (Dunedin) who recorded three free passes.

Notable

  • Prior to the game, head coach Billy Mohl announced that Bobby Boser (Wesley Chapel) suffered a hand injury on Sunday and would miss "significant" time. However, there's a chance he will return in the 2024 season.
  • Boser was named the AAC Player of the Week on Monday and the NCBWA National Hitter of the Week on Tuesday.
  • The Bulls have scored 10 or more runs in eight of their 16 games this season.
  • Wednesday's walk total (13) was the second-most by USF this season (14 at UNF on March 5).
  • The Bulls are now outscoring their opponents in the seventh inning and later, 45-19.
  • Brutcher tallied two more walks on Wednesday and continues to lead the NCAA in that category (25).
  • Brutcher has reached base safely in all 16 games this season.
  • Puckett, who made his first collegiate start last Saturday, made his first start at first base on Wednesday and is batting .500 (5-for-10) with a double and three RBI since his debut.
  • Montes is hitting .421 (16-for-38) with five doubles and 10 RBI over the last 10 games.
  • Freshman Logan Bevis (Longwood) made his first career start on the mound for USF on Wednesday.
  • Joey Volini (Tampa) improved to 3-0 on the season after his relief appearance. The left-hander has made five outings from the bullpen after returning from Tommy John Surgery in 2023.
  • Kyle Scrape (Tampa) logged two more scoreless innings of relief and has recorded nine strikeouts over 7.0 IP in four appearances without allowing a run this season.  

Up Next

The Bulls will wrap up their current seven-game homestand with a three-game weekend series against UNC Greensboro beginning on Friday, March 15 at 6:30 p.m. in Tampa. UNCG comes to Tampa riding high off an 18-3 win at No. 13 NC State on Tuesday.     

Double Play Passes, which include one ticket to every home baseball and softball game, can be purchased now for $99. Group and single game tickets are also on sale and can be purchased here or by calling 1-800-Go-Bulls.

About USF Baseball

The USF Baseball program played its first season in 1966 and is entering its 59th season in 2024 under head coach Billy Mohl (seventh season). 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 19 have earned Freshman All-America accolades, most recently Eric Snow in 2023. Four Bulls were selected in the 2022 MLB Draft. Former 2018 first-round selection, Shane McClanahan, became the program's first-ever MLB All-Star in 2022 and was the starting pitcher for the American League.

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