GoUSFBulls.com FIVE BULLS NAMED TO ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS

[Brad]

USF ATHLETICS GoUSFBulls.com

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FIVE BULLS NAMED TO ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS
Four earned selections for the first time

TAMPA, MAY 22, 2017 – The University of South Florida baseball team saw five players earn All-American Athletic Conference honors, the league offices announced Monday afternoon. 

Seniors Luke Borders (Winter Haven, Fla.) and Phoenix Sanders (Gainesville, Fla.), juniors Kevin Merrell (Odessa, Fla.) and Duke Stunkel Jr. (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.) and redshirt-junior Peter Strzelecki (Lake Worth, Fla.) were all selected. 

Merrell is the only previous honoree, as the other four earn nods for the first time in their careers.

The junior shortstop, Merrell makes his second-consecutive appearance on the first team after leading the Bulls and the conference with a .387 average during the regular season. He scored 43 runs, hit 10 doubles, four triples, six homers and drove in 35 runs. The speedster also led the Bulls with 18 swipes.

A four-year member of the USF baseball program, Borders earns his first all-conference recognition on the heels of his best season. The designated hitter batted a career-best .344 and led the team with 44 runs and 50 RBI, numbers that ranked fifth and third in the league, respectively. Borders clubbed 11 doubles and seven home runs.

In just his second season with the Bulls, the righty Sanders led the pitching staff with 14 starts, opening every weekend series on the mound. Sanders posted a 2.83 ERA and struck out 99 men in 86.0 innings of work. He posted a 5-2 record as a starter, surrendered just 22 walks and is in line to pitch the conference tournament opener on Tuesday.

Stunkel Jr. receives his first all-conference honor after a regular season that saw him hit .343 with 32 runs scored and a team-leading 14 doubles. The switch-hitting outfielder tallied 19 RBI and did not commit an error this season. 

In his first full season as a Bull, Strzelecki earns a second-team nod behind a stellar late season performance. The redshirt-junior held a team-low 2.48 ERA with 57 strikeouts. He owns the two longest outings by a USF pitcher this season, having tossed 8.1 innings against ECU on May 7 and a complete-game shutout at UConn on May 13.

The fourth-seeded Bulls open up the conference tournament at Spectrum Field in Clearwater, Fla. on Tuesday at 3:30 against No. 5 seeded Tulane.

 

[JoeB]

Anybody else feel that Joe C got slighted?  I thought he's been our most valuable pitcher all year...over Phoenix and Pete.  Great for them, but nobody pitched in more big games than Joe C

[Ionbull]

9 hours ago, JoeB said:

Anybody else feel that Joe C got slighted?  I thought he's been our most valuable pitcher all year...over Phoenix and Pete.  Great for them, but nobody pitched in more big games than Joe C

For sure. JOE c has been the steady hand.