GAMEDAY INFORMATION
University of South Florida Bulls (15-10; 2-1 AAC) at Charlotte 49ers (11-14; 1-2 AAC)
SCHEDULE: Friday, March 29 – 1 p.m. (DH) | Saturday, March 30 – 1 p.m.
BALLPARK: Hayes Stadium | Charlotte, N.C.
ALL-TIME SERIES: USF leads, 31-23
TV: ESPN+
LIVE STATS: Here
TWITTER UPDATES: @USFBaseball
GAME NOTES: South Florida | Charlotte
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (March 28, 2024) – The University of South Florida Bulls hit the road for their first conference series away from home this season with a three-game set at Charlotte. The series was originally set for single games on March 28-30, but weather kept the Bulls grounded in Tampa until Thursday afternoon. The teams have adjusted the schedule to play a doubleheader on Friday and a single game on Saturday.
South Florida and Charlotte were formerly mates in the Sun Belt, Metro League and Conference USA and will meet again as the 49ers have joined The American in 2023-24. It marks the Bulls first trip to Charlotte since 2005. The 49ers more recently traveled to Tampa for opening weekend in 2022.
The Bulls are currently playing a five-game road swing and are in the midst of playing 12 games in 16 days from March 15-30. USF played five games in six days last week and will play four total in five days this week.
Drew Brutcher enters the weekend leading the NCAA in walks (33) and ranks 22nd in the country in OBP (.542). The slugger, who ranks sixth all-time in program history for home runs (34), is one walk away from tying for 10th in program history for walks (126).
Collectively, the Bulls rank 47th in the nation in walks (135) and are 14th in stolen bases (56). USF's new offensive approach has been on full display this season after recording just 39 stolen bases in all of 2023.
John Montes, the reigning AAC Player of the Week, leads the team in batting average (.386), ranks second in doubles (9) and third in RBI (22). Jackson Mayo is tied for the team lead with 24 RBI and has three homers in his last eight games. Marcus Brodil has homered twice in the last four games.
PROJECTED PITCHING MATCHUP
Friday – RHP Hunter Mink (1-3, 5.72 ERA) vs. LHP Cole Reynolds (3-2, 4.91 ERA)
Saturday – RHP Jack Cebert (3-1, 4.31 ERA) vs. LHP Chase Carson (1-0, 4.74 ERA)
Sunday – RHP Bryce Archie (0-1, 6.10 ERA) vs. TBD
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.
– #GoBulls –
