GoUSFBulls.com Complete Effort Polishes Four-Game Sweep of Redhawks

[Brad]

USF ATHLETICS GoUSFBulls.com

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Complete Effort Polishes Four-Game Sweep of Redhawks

Pitching allowed just seven hits and two runs while the bats clubbed 12 hits and 11 runs

TAMPA, FEB. 26, 2017 – Despite yielding the game’s first run in the opening frame, the University of South Florida baseball team (7-1) showed great patience at the dish and produced timely hits to score 11-straight runs, completing a four-game weekend sweep of Miami (Ohio) with Saturday’s 11-2 win.

The Redhawks (0-7) got to junior Peter Strzelecki (Lake Worth, Fla.) early with an Adam Yacek leadoff single up the middle to cap an 11-pitch at bat. Two outs put him on third, then a passed ball allowed him to score the first run.

But Strzelecki would settle down after the first inning, as he went to his slider and breaking ball to record five-consecutive strikeouts, putting down the batters swinging.  

The USF bats came to the support of their starter much earlier than Saturday’s game 2 walkoff victory. The momentum from the dramatic win less than 24 hours prior carried, as sophomore Coco Montes (Miami) tied the score five pitches into the bottom half of the inning with an opposite field homerun that carried over right field fence.

In his first at bat since the game-tying two-run blast Saturday night, Chris Chatfield (Riverview, Fla.) gave the Bulls a lead they would not let up with yet another deep homerun over the right field fence. 

After tacking on another run in the third, the Bulls blew the game open in the 4th with four runs. Sophomore Garret Zech (Naples, Fla.) doubled to the fence in left to score Duke Stunkel Jr. (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.) and last night’s hero Andres Leal (Tampa). Junior Kevin Merrell (Odessa, Fla.) doubled to left to bring home Zech and Montes singled to center bringing in Merrell.

The Redhawks had their best chance to cut into the lead in the sixth against freshman Noah Yager (Davie, Fla.), loading the bases with one away. But Yager induced a shallow fly ball to right and grounder to third to get out of the jam. The Bulls would add three more in the seventh and a run in the eighth before it was all said and done.

Quotables

Head coach Mark Kingston and the four-game sweep

“I told the team before the game, you want to pitch well, play great defense and score a lot of runs and we executed in all three of those areas today. The sweep is nice but there are areas we can get better at and it’s a constant growing process and we will focus on how can continue to improve.” 

Coco Montes on his 3-for-4 day, his homerun and the team’s six-game win streak

“I’m playing with a lot of confidence right now, seeing the ball well and have a year under my belt which is the biggest difference for me. I think last night’s ninth-inning with Chatfield’s homerun and the walkoff carried over into today.” 

Key Stats

·   The Bullpen allowed just three hits through 5.0 innings.

·   The middle infield of Merrell and Montes were the catalyst for the offense in the 1-2 holes, combined both going 3-for-4 with a combined three RBI and three runs.

·   Stunkel went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and Zech had two RBI and a run.

·   Junior Cam Crabbe (White Plains, N.Y.) came in a defensive sub in the eight, had one at bat which was a solo homerun to left in the eighth inning.

·   Redshirt junior infielder Clay Simmons (Center Hill, Fla.) had one at bat, pinch hitting for Merrell in the seventh, as he drove in a run with an RBI double down the left field line. 

Notables

·   The Bulls improve to 5-0 all-time against Miami (Ohio).

·   The six-game win streak marks the longest for USF since the 2014 season.

·   The 7-1 start ties the best eight-game start since the 2014 season. 

·   The middle infield of Merrell and Montes were the catalyst for the offense in the 1-2 holes, combined both going 3-for-4 with a combined three RBI and three runs.

·   The Bulls scored double-digit runs for the first time since March 4, 2016 with the 11 plated today.

Up Next

USF remains home for a three-game set against Toledo beginning Friday, March 3 at 6:30 p.m. 

[JoeB]

Great win today and great weekend overall for th team!  It was a beautiful day for baseball, perffect weather.

[Ionbull]

Baseball is looking really **** good. 

[charsibb]

9 minutes ago, Ionbull said:

Baseball is looking really **** good. 

Don't go getting TOO excited. Other than FSU, competition hasn't been much to write home about...

That said, I like what I've seen so far!