Bulls Host Shockers In Important Weekend Series

[Brad]

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MATCHUP: USF vs. Wichita St.
SCHEDULE: Thursday, 7 p.m. | Friday, 6:30 p.m. | Saturday, 1 p.m.
LOCATION: Tampa, USF Baseball Stadium
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Bulls Host Shockers In Important Weekend Series
USF and Wichita St. are tied for the final spot in the American Athletic Conference Championships, which begin May 21

TAMPA, May 15, 2019 – The USF baseball team opens the final weekend with a three game series against Wichita State. 

Battle for the Beach: The Bulls (25-25, 7-14 The American) enter the weekend tied with Wichita for the final spot in the American Athletic Conference Championships in Clearwater, set to begin May 21. 

USF took 2-of-3 at UConn last weekend. The pitching was solid, as the starters went at least 6.0 innings in all three games. Senior righty Alec Wisely (Jacksonville, Fla.) was named to the American Athletic Conference Weekly Honor Roll on Monday. He pitched 7.0 innings against the Huskies in the final game of Saturday's doubleheader, surrendering one run on four hits.

Senior Garrett Zech (Naples, Fla.) hit .625 over the weekend in just two games, (5-for-8). He had a career high three hits in the opener.

Sophomore righty Baron Stuart (Okeechobee, Fla.) will again start in the first game. Junior right hander Collin Sullivan (Randolph, Mass.) will start Fridayand Wisely will start Saturday on Senior Day.

Nota-Bulls

• Senior first baseman Joe Genord (Lake Worth, Fla.) is third on USF's all-time list with 44 career home runs. He's hitting a team best .347 with 52 RBI, both third in The American.
• Classmate Kyle Phillips (Orlando) is batting .315 on the year with 11 doubles, three triples and 38 runs.
• Redshirt sophomore Jake Sullivan (Tampa) is batting .400 over the last five games and is second on the team with a .324 average.
• Freshman Julio Cortez (Miami) has played in the last 21 games at either catcher or DH. He's batting .400 over the last 10 games and .382 in the limited action this season.
• Genord has hit the laces off the ball during midweek games, batting .525 in 11 games. Phillips is hitting .429 in those games.

The Matchup

The Bulls made their first trip to Wichita St. last season and the Shockers will make their first trip to Tampa this weekend. The Shockers are 5-2-1 against USF, having met in 2005 in Honolulu, Hawaii prior to joining The American last year. The first two contests were neutral site games in New Orleans. Both teams met in the conference tournament last year. USF lost the opener before eliminating Wichita St. the next day by a score of 7-2.

Know the Foe
The Shockers (24-28, 7-14 The American) lost a lot from their 2018 team, including third overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft, Alec Bohm. Senior infielder Luke Ritter is one of the only returners from last year’s lineup. He leads the team with a .330 average, nine home runs, 13 doubles and 42 runs. Jordan Boyer is hitting .319 with 32 runs, 13 doubles and a team high 36 RBI.

Senior righty Clayton McGinness (5-4, 4.30 ERA) will start Thursday. He pitched a complete game shutout against ECU last weekend. Sophomore right hander Liam Eddy (4-7, 5.12 ERA) will make the start Friday.

Bulls Bits

• DID YOU KNOW?: USF has the only Division I coaching staff in the state of Florida in which every member was selected in the MLB Draft – head coach Billy Mohl (2006, Philadelphia); assistants Chuck Jeroloman(2004, Boston), Chris Cates (2007, Minnesota), Brian Jeroloman (2006, Toronto). The Bulls' coaching staff has a combined 25 years of playing experience in pro baseball.

 

[Guest Jonesy Bull]

Two pretty evenly matched teams with a shot at "post season" on the line. 

Despite a dissapointing season, would still suck not to make the Clearwater tournament.  

I say we squeek it out this weekend.  Go BaseBulls!

[JoeB]

Go Bulls, Beat Wheat Shockers!

[flsportsfan83]

What a sad year for the program.

[OcalaBull2]

Does the head coaching job get looked at if we don't make the conference tourney in our own back yard?

[bullsfan27]

I doubt Muhl will be fired after this season or even looked at. However if he has another bad season next year (misses the AAC tourney) then Kelly might pull the plug on him. Also did Kelly hire Muhl or was that a Harlan hire?

[BrassBulls12]

Harlan I believe 

[NewEnglandBull]

Hopefully we can capture that 8th place trophy...

[CousinRicky]

I'm thinking he at least gets looked at.  VPofA Kelley has said that he'll examine each sport at the end of their season.  He can't be impressed with what has happened.  But I have no idea what his contract looks like and whether it would be expensive (can't believe it is too much) to get out of it.  

[BrassBulls12]

1 minute ago, CousinRicky said:

I'm thinking he at least gets looked at.  VPofA Kelley has said that he'll examine each sport at the end of their season.  He can't be impressed with what has happened.  But I have no idea what his contract looks like and whether it would be expensive (can't believe it is too much) to get out of it.  

Yeah, I'm not sure Mohl had much leverage to get a big buyout.