NEW ORLEANS (May 9, 2026) – University of South Florida baseball fell to Tulane in Game 2 of a crucial conference series with postseason implications. The Bulls (30-19, 9-14 American) were defeated by the Green Wave (24-28, 9-14 American) 9-8, tying the three-game set at one game apiece.
Nathan Earley once again had an explosive night offensively. He went three for five, with all three hits going for doubles. He also recorded two RBIs and scored two runs. The last Bull to hit three doubles in a game was
Rafael Betancourt in 2023 against Wichita State. Earley now has six doubles over the first two games of the series.
Matt Rose went two for four with an RBI single that tied the game at six in the top of the eighth inning. Tulane answered with three runs in the bottom half of the inning to reclaim the lead, though South Florida nearly completed a comeback with a two-run ninth inning.
Michael Senay made the Saturday start for South Florida and threw the first four innings before exiting the game with an apparent injury.
Dominic Pontbriant followed with two innings in relief, while
Nolan Bernard threw 1.2 innings and took the loss to fall to 3-2 on the season.
Brisen Tweedy recorded the final out of the eighth inning.
Notables:
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Nathan Earley went three for five, all three hits being doubles. He also recorded two RBIs and runs.
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Matt Rose went two for four with an RBI single.
• The Bulls are a win away from winning their first series at Tulane since 2001.
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Nolan Bernard is now 3-2 on the season.
Up Next:
The third and deciding game of the series is scheduled for Sunday, May 10. First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. ET, and the game will be streamed on ESPN+.
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About USF Baseball
The University of South Florida baseball program, founded in 1966, enters its 61st season in 2026. Head coach Mitch Hannahs returns for his second year at the helm after leading the Bulls to 32 wins in his debut season—the program's highest win total since 2018. USF also posted 16 victories in American Athletic Conference play, marking its best conference showing since joining the league.
Hannahs, a 2023 ABCA NCAA Division I Midwest Region Coach of the Year, was named USF's eighth head coach on June 8, 2024, after an 11-year run at Indiana State where he tallied 355 wins, six conference titles, and five NCAA Regional appearances.
USF has made 14 NCAA Tournament appearances, including a historic Super Regional berth in 2021. The Bulls have captured five conference tournament titles (three Sun Belt, one Metro, one American) and six regular season championships (three Sun Belt, two Metro, one C-USA).
The program continues to develop top-tier talent with 134 MLB Draft picks all-time, including three selections in 2025. Notable alumni include two-time MLB All-Star and 2018 first-round draft pick Shane McClanahan. Bulls have earned All-America honors 12 times and Freshman All-America recognition 19 times.
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