Bulls Look To Bounce Back Against Soncrant's CMU

[Brad]

Courtesy USF SID

Bulls Look To Bounce Back From Loss This Weekend Against CMU

TAMPA, Fla. (Feb. 28, 2007) – The University of South Florida baseball team (9-2) looks to bounce back from its second loss of the season by hosting a three-game series with Central Michigan University Friday-Sunday at Red McEwen Field.  

On Friday and Saturday the Bulls and Chippewas take the field at 6 p.m., then return to Red McEwen Sunday at noon for the final game of the series.

CMU leads the all-times series 3-2, but USF has won two of the last three games. All five games of the series have been played in Tampa. The Bulls and Chippewas first played in 1971, a 9-4 CMU victory in Tampa, and the last meeting on March 2, 2003 resulted in a 13-2 USF victory.

USF comes into the weekend series following a 10-5 ninth-inning loss to Florida on Feb. 27. The 9-2 Bulls have swept three games from High Point (Feb. 9-11), Jacksonville (Feb. 16-18) and Manhattan (Feb. 23-25), but took losses in both mid-week games this season, once to Stetson on Feb. 20 and Tuesday to Florida.

Central Michigan is 2-4 this year, posting a 2-1 record with the University of Alabama-Birmingham (Feb. 16-18), and dropping all three games to Southern Illinois, one on Feb. 23 and a double-header on Feb. 25.

Junior second baseman Dexter Butler is atop the offensive leaderboard with a .462 batting average in USF’s 11 games. Butler has 18 hits, four of which are doubles, and nine RBI.  

Junior Brandin Daniel has a team-high 17 RBI, notching the Bulls’ only home run, along with three doubles and 15 total hits. Daniel’s .395 average is fourth on the team.

Junior infielder Jeff Helps and senior infielder Ben Humphrey lead the Chippewas at the plate this season, each batting .292. Helps has seven hits, including a double, and two runs scored, while Humphrey has scored three times and has a pair of two-baggers. Senior Sean Hoorelbeke has tallied a team-high five RBI and one of his four hits was a home run.  

On the mound, USF looks to the arm of two-time BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week Danny Otero, who owns a 0.76 ERA and a 3-1 record. Otero has 15 strikeouts in 23.2 innings pitched and on Feb. 23 against Manhattan, he recorded USF’s first complete game since the 2003 season.

Juniors Daniel Thomas (2-0) and Chris Delaney (2-0), who have been the Bulls’ Saturday and Sunday starters the past two weeks, each own a 1.12 ERA, pitching 16.0 innings and making three appearances. Thomas has a team-high 17 strikeouts while Delaney is third on the list with 14.

Sophomore Dan Taylor (1-0) holds CMU’s lowest ERA (1.12), allowing one earned run in 8.0 innings pitched. Senior Kurt Lauscher (0-1) and junior Josh Collmenter (0-1) have each started two games for the Chippewas and have pitched 10.0 and 12.0 innings, respectively. Lauscher owns a 2.70 ERA while Collmenter is at 3.75.  

Following the game with CMU, USF welcomes Stetson to Red McEwen Field March 6 for the second of a three-date series with the Hatters. First pitch for the mid-week game is at 6 p.m. The final game will be played in Tampa on April 10.  

[Jewbull]

I was thinking the same thing, Soncrant is gonna be torn this weekend, what does he do? Usf on the outside and the Chippewas on the inside...Eric, how ya feeling?

[JoeB]

I have an idea, Eric you can root for CMU but it has to be in a dunking booth down the right field line.  All in attendance in USF gear gets one free toss to knock you in the water............whaddya say to that?  Any other money contributed goes to the USF Annual Fund.

Sometimes you gotta think out of the box............  

[BullDoug]

CMU will be dealing with a pissed off buncha Bulls baseball players on Friday after last nite.  I'm guessing it won't be pretty for the northerners.

[JoeB]

CMU is currently 2-4 on the young season.  They won two out of three games at UAB, and were swept in three games at Southern Illinois.  As like most northern teams, they haven't had a home game yet.  Looks like they recently got a new ballpark.  

Central Michigan University opened an incredible new baseball facility in 2002 as the Chippewas moved into the "new" Theunissen Stadium.

Located on West Campus Drive, just southwest of CMU's athletic facilities, the state-of-the-art baseball stadium seats 2,046 fans.

Central Michigan already had one of the finest baseball facilities in the Midwest in the "old" Theunissen Stadium. That stadium was located in the heart of campus and had been the home of Chippewa baseball since 1949. It was torn down at the completion of the 2001 season to make room for a new health professions building.

Both stadiums are named in honor of William Theunissen, a former baseball coach and Dean of the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation.

The old field was originally known as Alumni Field, but the name change was approved by CMU's Board of Trustees in the spring of 1986. Theunissen Stadium was officially dedicated on May 2, 1987.

Central Michigan hosted the 1984 NCAA Mideast Regional, entertaining Indiana State, Michigan and Temple for a Memorial weekend showdown. Michigan defeated the Chippewas in the finals, 4-3, to advance to the College World Series.

The "new" Theunissen Stadium features a sand-based field which maximizes the drainage and ensures an outstanding playing surface. The dimensions of the field are 330-feet down both lines, 375 in the power alleys and 400 to center. There is a spacious clubhouse for the home team with locker facilities for all of CMU's players and coaches as well as large, roomy dugouts. CMU's dugout connects to the clubhouse.

The scoreboard from the old stadium has been moved to the new field.

The new stadium has 400 seats featuring chair backs and arm rests.

The media has access to a large press box with two enclosed radio booths.

There is a large parking lot for 300 cars, an impressive big entrance and landscaped grounds.

Chippewa baseball benefits greatly from the new Indoor Athletic Complex, located just south of the Student Activities Center.

The IAC became available for winter drills in February of 1999. The baseball team uses the turf bay that has eight batting cages and enough room for two infields. The outfielders also have plenty of space for long throws.

Central Michigan bid farewell to the "old" Theunissen Stadium during an emotional weekend with the University of Toledo that closed the 2001 campaign.

More than 100 former Chippewa players returned and took their old positions on the field when introduced.

Five of the living former and current Central Michigan head coaches - Bill Theunissen, Waldo Sauter, Dave Keilitz, Dean Kreiner and Judd Folske - were also on hand and tossed out the ceremonial opening pitch against the Rockets

[Jewbull]

Soncrant, where you be?

[Eric_Soncrant]

I'm right here Jewbull, some of us work during the day and can't be on the message board the whole time.  I'll be there probably on Friday and maybe on Saturday.  I have parental responsibilities all weekend for my 3 month old as Liisa will be in Hartford with the Cheerleaders.

As I stated in a previous thread, I'm hoping for three close games with USF coming out on top.  In this business, you root for the team giving you a paycheck.  No question about it.  Go Bulls and Fire Up Chips!

Eric

[flsportsfan83]

Eric, In that case I could never work at any school other than USF.

[hightechbull]

How much are baseball tickets?

I have not gone to a BaseBull game in years, and the last time I went it was free for athletics donors, and before then it was free when I was a student.

I am really itching to catch a few games this season.  It must have something to do with the optimism that Coach Prado brings to the team.

Edit:  Never mind.  I should have used "the internets".  According to GoUSFBulls.com tickets page, baseball tickets are $5 for adults.