GoUSFBulls.com Villar’s Go-Ahead Bomb in 7th Lifts Bulls Over Ospreys

[Brad]

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Villar’s Go-Ahead Bomb in 7th Lifts Bulls Over Ospreys

The Bulls scored the final five runs to earn a 19th-straight win

 

TAMPA, MARCH. 21, 2017 – In a much closer contest than previous outings, the University of South Florida baseball found itself down, 3-2, in the seventh until a David Villar (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) three-run jack gave it back a lead for good in a 7-3 win over North Florida Tuesday night.

The Bulls (20-1) loaded the bases in the bottom of the second on a single and two walks, allowing sophomore Garrett Zech (Naples, Fla.) to bring in two men with a base knock to center.

But the Ospreys (14-8) responded with runs in the fourth, fifth and seventh to meticulously take a 3-2 lead. After sophomore Coco Montes (Miami) walked to lead off the bottom half, he advanced to second on a wild pitch then third on a single by Joe Genord (Lake Worth, Fla.). Junior Duke Stunkel Jr. (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.) beat out an infield single that was able to score Montes and tie the game.

Villar stepped in to the box with runners on the corners and struck a 2-1 fastball, sending it over the right field fence. The Bulls added one more run in the eighth, as the bullpen closed the door and sealed the victory. 

Key Stats

• Villar’s homer was his only hit of the night, but it was his fourth long ball in as many days.
• Stunkel Jr. went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBI.
• Zech also had two hits along with senior Luke Borders (Winter Haven, Fla.)
• Junior Joe Cavallaro (Venice, Fla.) and sophomore Andrew Perez (Orlando) logged the final 2.2 innings and struck out three while allowing just one hit.

Notables

• The Bulls’ 19-game winning streak is the second longest in program history and the second-longest active streak in the nation, behind only Missouri, as Louisville fell to fellow AAC constituent Cincinnati tonight. 
• Borders has reached base safely in every game this season.
• The win snaps a two-game slide against the Ospreys and evens the all-time series, 7-7. 

 

Up Next

The Bulls head on the road for just the second time this year and the first time in four weeks when they battle No. 15 FGCU in Fort Myers on Wednesday night at 6:30. Fans can watch the game live on Eversports.tv/Asun.

[JoeB]

Huge at bat by Villar.  He's been dominant over the last 5 games, hitting 4 HRs and driving home 15.  Hope he stays hot tomorrow at FGCU.