GoUSFBulls.com Bulls' Walkoff In the 10th Clinches Series vs. ECU

[Brad]

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Bulls' Walkoff In the 10th Clinches Series vs. ECU
David Villar hit a single to deep right with the bases loaded for the win

TAMPA, MAY 6, 2017 – After two runs were scored in the top of the ninth to send things into extra innings, the University of South Florida baseball team walked off in the 10th to earn the series win with Saturday’s 5-4 victory over East Carolina.  

Junior Kevin Merrell (Odessa, Fla.) led off with the game with a home run for the third time this season to give the Bulls (36-10, 11-6 The American) and early edge. USF added to the lead with three more in the fifth to take a 4-0 advantage. 

Redshirt-freshman Shane McClanahan was dominant through 5.0, before a two-run homer in the sixth made it 4-2. The Pirates (24-23, 4-13 The American) hit two more home runs in the eighth and ninth to tie the game at 4-4.

Merrell led off the bottom of the 10th with a triple to right center. Consecutive intentional walks and two outs later, sophomore David Villar (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) crushed a ball off the right field fence to give his team the win. 

Key Stats

• McClanahan struck out a career-high 13 batters. He tossed 7.0 innings and allowed five hits with just one walk.
• Merrell matched a career-high with four hits, as he went 4-for-5 with three runs scored. The lead-off blast was his sixth homer of the year.
• Villar went 2-for-5 with the RBI. 
• Sophomore Joe Genord (Lake Worth, Fla.) went 2-for-5 with a RBI.
• Sophomores Garrett Zech (Naples, Fla.) and Coco Montes (Miami) each went 1-for-4 with a double and a RBI apiece.
• Junior Joe Cavallaro (Venice, Fla.) tossed the last 1.1 innings, struck out two and picked up his third win of the year.  

Notables

• USF improves its record against ECU to 10-15, 6-5 in Tampa.
• McClanahan’s 13 strikeouts were the most for a Bull this season and the most by a USF pitcher since Jimmy Herget did so on May 3, 2014.
• The Bulls remain in a tie for first in the league with Houston at 11-6. Though USF owns the tiebreaker thanks to last weekend’s series win over the Cougars.
• This was USF’s fourth walk-off win of the season and it is now 3-1 in extra innings this year.
• The Bulls are now 15-6 in games decided by one run or less this season.
• The Bulls clubbed double-digit hits (11) for the 26th time this year.

Up Next

The Bulls and Pirates wrap up the series Sunday at 1:00 p.m. USF will honor its five-man senior class prior to the game.

[JoeB]

Great Win, got a little dicey in the 10th but Villar came through!  Shane deserved a win with how well he pitched, but at least the team won.  Lets Sweep tomorrow!

 

[Ionbull]

Not sure if there is a history between these two squads but there was a lot of jawing at the plate. Several times the umpire had to tell both managers to calm their players down after heated exchanges. Granted Blue was way more snappy at Kingston and the Bulls than he was with the ECU dugout.

Edited May 7, 2017 by Ionbull

[Mama_Bull]

25 minutes ago, Ionbull said:

Not sure if there is a history between these two squads but there was a lot of jawing at the plate. Several times the umpire had to tell both managers to calm their players down after heated exchanges. Granted Blue was way more snappy at Kingston and the Bulls than he was with the ECU dugout.

Do you know why the ump tossed the ECU first baseman from the game in the 10th inning?

[Triple B]

35 minutes ago, Ionbull said:

Not sure if there is a history between these two squads but there was a lot of jawing at the plate.

Scottie Montgomery must have given them a pep talk before flying down here ...

[Ionbull]

24 minutes ago, Mama_Bull said:

Do you know why the ump tossed the ECU first baseman from the game in the 10th inning?

Honestly no. We just assumed it was something he said, it all happened so quick. I think the Manager got thrown out too?

[charsibb]

52 minutes ago, Ionbull said:

1 hour ago, Mama_Bull said:

Do you know why the ump tossed the ECU first baseman from the game in the 10th inning?

Honestly no. We just assumed it was something he said, it all happened so quick. I think the Manager got thrown out too?

Probably called him a C***s*****

 

 

[JoeB]

9 hours ago, Mama_Bull said:

Do you know why the ump tossed the ECU first baseman from the game in the 10th inning?

I was told by a USF staffer that the ECU first baseman caught the the cutoff throw and asked for timeout.  Ump didnt automatically give timeout.  He asked again with a few expletives thrown in there.  Ump told him he doesn't have to give timeout and that its at his discretion.  After a few more expletives he got tossed.  Apparently the Head Coach got tossed too...I missed that somehow.  ECU was pretty vocal all weekend against the umps, this might have played a part too.

[Mama_Bull]

Thanks for the info.

[JoeB]

I was told the line that got him tossed was..."Are you just going to sit there holding your **** or give me timeout".  Pretty funny stuff.