GoUSFBulls.com Bulls Host UNF, Battle FGCU on Road

[Brad]

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Bulls Host UNF, Battle FGCU on Road 

 

Matchups: USF (19-1) vs. North Florida (14-7) / at Florida Gulf Coast University (18-3)
Dates: Tuesday, Mar. 21, 2017 / Wednesday, Mar. 22, 2017
Times: 6:30 p.m. / 6:30 p.m. 
Locations: Tampa, Fla. | USF Baseball Stadium (3,211) / Fort Myers, Fla. | Swanson Stadium (1,500)
Follow: (Tues.) Stats | Listen | Watch / (Wed.) Stats | Watch
 

TAMPA, MARCH. 20, 2017 – The University of South Florida baseball team plays a pair of midweek matchups, hosting North Florida on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. before traveling down to face No. 15 Florida Gulf Coast on Wednesday at 6:30.

Tuesday’s contest can be seen live on USF Baseball’s Facebook page. The game can be heard on AM 1040. Wednesday’s showdown can be viewed 

The Bulls (19-1) extended their winning streak to 18 with a four-game series sweep of Harvard over the weekend. The Bulls averaged over 11 runs per game and allowed just 11 runs total in the series. Sophomore infielder David Villar (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) led the Bulls with a .636 average over the weekend (7-11) with three homeruns, seven runs scored and 12 RBI. He clubbed a grand slam in Sunday’s 14-2 win.

Sophomore Coco Montes (Miami) saw his 13-game hitting streak come to an end in game one of Saturday’s double-header, but still hit .500 over the weekend with four runs scored. Montes is second on the team with a .413 average, just behind junior Kevin Merrell (Odessa, Fla.), who still leads the Bulls with a .416 average, six doubles and 26 runs scored.

USF will throw freshman D.J. Roberts (Jacksonville) on Tuesday. He has holds a 2.76 ERA in four appearances and two starts with 15 strikeouts in 16.1 innings pitched.

Redshirt-junior Peter Strzelecki (Lake Worth, Fla.) will return to the mound on Wednesday. He has made four starts and sports a 1.15 ERA in 15.2 innings of work.

Scouting Report – North Florida

Fueled by a nine-game winning streak that was snapped on March 11, the Ospreys (14-7) are off to a strong start to the season. 

UNF has an A-Sun leading .294 team batting average thanks to six .300 hitters. Freshman outfielder Tanner Murphy is batting .393 with six doubles and 16 RBI. Junior outfielder Yahir Gurrola has played in all 21 games and is hitting .354 with 27 runs scored to sit ninth nationally and 11 doubles to rank sixth. He is also tied for the team lead with four homers and paces the Ospreys with 20 RBI. Senior utility man Chris Thibideau is hitting .351 with 18 runs, four bombs and 18 RBI. Senior infielder Patrick Ervin is hitting .338 and Alex Merritt and Chris Berry are each hitting .308.

The Osprey arms have performed well this season, holding a 3.19 combined ERA to lead the A-Sun. Freshman righty Cooper Bradford will go for UNF on Tuesday. He has appeared in seven games, has made two starts and holds a 1.32 ERA with 13.2 innings pitched. Bradford has struck out 16 and has walked six.

The Bulls trail UNF in the all-time series, 7-6.

Scouting Report – FGCU

The Eagles (18-3) are one of the hotter teams in the nation as well, having dropped just one of their last 15 games. FGCU swept a midweek two-game set against then-No. 2 Florida on March 7 and 8, then knocked off then-No. 1 FSU on March 15 to earn a No. 15 ranking this week. 

The Eagles are powered offensively by junior shortstop Julio Gonzalez, who is hitting .365 with 16 runs scored, six doubles, two triples, two homers and 19 RBI. Junior outfielder Eli Lovell is hitting .333 with a team-best 25 runs scored and nine doubles. Junior catcher Spencer Levine is batting .318 with a team-high 24 RBI. 

The pitching staff has combined for a 3.29 ERA. Redshirt-junior righty Mario Leno will make his fifth start of the year on Wednesday, as he sports a 3.93 ERA with 16 strikeouts on the year in 18.1 innings. Senior closer Sterling Koerner has been a horse at the backend of the bullpen, currently sitting with six saves on the year, seventh in the nation. He holds a 1.69 ERA and has recorded 12 strikeouts.

The Eagles own a 10-4 edge over the Bulls in the all-time series.

Notables

• The Bulls’ 18-game winning streak is the second longest in program history and the second-longest active streak in the nation, behind Missouri and Louisville.
• The Bulls tallied at least 13 hits for the seventh time in the last nine games on Sunday and plated double-digit men for the fifth time this season.
• Senior Luke Borders (Winter Haven, Fla.) has reached base safely in every game this season.

[JoeB]

Lets Go Bulls!  I'll be there for the UNF game.  Need a strong 5 or 6 innings from DJ Roberts and continue with our hot bats.

[GaUSFBull]

Wish they were playing in the Orlando area since I'll be there Wed. through Sunday.  

[charsibb]

2 hours ago, GaUSFBull said:

Wish they were playing in the Orlando area since I'll be there Wed. through Sunday.  

The kannigits are hosting Dartmouth this weekend...  #jussayin

[Ionbull]

17 hours ago, JoeB said:

Lets Go Bulls!  I'll be there for the UNF game.  Need a strong 5 or 6 innings from DJ Roberts and continue with our hot bats.

Me too! Someone said it was $2 hot dog night?! Leggo Bulls!

[GaUSFBull]

17 minutes ago, charsibb said:

The kannigits are hosting Dartmouth this weekend...  #jussayin

[charsibb]

 

[Triple B]

2 hours ago, GaUSFBull said:

Wish they were playing in the Orlando area since I'll be there Wed. through Sunday.  

If you're going to the Mouse hopefully you utilized Fast Pass. Was there last week and it was crowded as **** ... and cold early and late. Weather looks to be fine this week. 

[Triple B]

41 minutes ago, charsibb said:

The kannigits are hosting Dartmouth this weekend...  #jussayin

Saw a UM Canes smaller equipment truck on the 417 about an hour ago and thought it may have been for the baseball team ............ was probably stolen. 

[CousinRicky]

1 hour ago, Ionbull said:

Me too! Someone said it was $2 hot dog night?! Leggo Bulls!

$2 Tuesdays.  Could be that they charge $2 for hot dogs, popcorn, small sodas and maybe another item.  Weds are just $2 dogs.