Bulls comeback bid not enough in loss to Wildcats
TAMPA, FL., MARCH 8, 2025 – University of South Florida baseball (7-6; 0-0 AAC) came back from a 6-0 deficit to take the lead, only to lose to Villanova 12-9 (7-6; 0-0 Big East).
USF overcame a six-run first inning by Villanova to take the lead in the seventh but couldn’t hold on as the Wildcats took the lead for good with a five-run eighth inning.
Overshadowed in the loss were standout hitting performances by Ryan Pruitt, Sebastian Greico and Carlos Jacome and a strong relief outing by Jorge DeCardenas.
Pruitt had three hits and scored two runs, he leads the Bulls with 17 hits on the season. Greico hit his team-high sixth home run and drove in three, giving him a team-high 19 RBI on the season. Jacome had three hits, his first multi-hit game as a Bull, drove in two runs and scored a run.
Jorge DeCardenas went seven innings in relief. DeCardenas struck out nine, tying the Bulls season high, and his best as a Bull. He allowed one run on two hits. He struck out the side in the second and first two in the third inning, tying the team season-high with five consecutive strikeouts.
Just as they did Friday, Villanova got on the board first, jumping out to a 6-0 lead in the top of the first. The Wildcats got a leadoff double to start the game. Four walks, a hit batsman, two singles and added up to the six runs.
The Bulls bounced back with two runs in their half of the first. Ryan Pruitt led off with double, his team-high sixth. Pruitt moved to third on a groundout. Sebastian Greico followed with a two-run homer to right center.
USF narrowed the lead to one with three runs in the bottom of the second. Marcus Brodil drew a one-out walk and advanced to third on a single by Carlos Jacome. Ryan Pruitt walked to load the bases with two outs. A two-run single by Bradke Lohry scored Brodil and Jacome. Sebastian Greico recorded his third RBI of the game with a single to center which scored Pruitt.
Villanova answered with a run in the top of the third. After Jorge DeCardenas struck out the first two batters, his fourth and fifth in a row, back-to-back walks, a stolen base and a single gave the Wildcats a two-run lead at 7-5.
A Bulls run in the bottom of the third reduced the lead to one at 7-6. Marcus Brodil singled with two outs, stole second and moved to third on an infield single. Carlos Jacome drove in Brodil with his second hit of the game, advancing Murphy to third. A flyout ended the inning.
USF took the lead with back-to-back home runs to start the home half of the seventh. Jackson Mayo led off with his first homer of the season to tie the game. Stewart Puckett followed with a blast to right to put the Bulls on top. The Bulls added another run as Marcus Brodil followed the home runs with a single to right. Carter Murphy walked then Carlos Jacome doubled to right to score Brodil, moving Murphy to third. A walk to Bradke Lohry loaded the bases with one out but two flyouts stranded the runners.
The Wildcats re-claimed the lead with five runs in the eighth. A walk, hit batsman, and two singles tied the game. A three-run homer to left cleared the bases, giving Villanova the lead.
Key Stats:
• USF has led at some point in 10 of their 13 games.
• The six-run deficit is the largest the Bulls have come back from to take the lead this season.
• The Bulls stole two bases, bringing their season total to 25.
• Four of the Bulls runs came with two outs.
Notables:
• Ryan Pruitt had three more hits, following his three-hit game Friday. He leads the team with 17 hits, a .370 avg. He is second on the team with 13 RBI and has reached base in 12 of the Bulls 13 games. His three hits included his team-high sixth double.
• Sebastian Greico hit his sixth home run, a two-run shot. He leads the team with six home runs and 19 RBI. Greico has reached base in five of the last six games. Earlier this season he had a four-game home run streak, tied for the program high.
• Reliever Jorge DeCardenas struck out nine, his high as a Bull and tied for the highest for a USF pitcher this season. He struck out five consecutive Wildcat hitters, tying the Bulls’ season high.
• Marcus Brodil had two hits extending his on base streak to 13 straight games. He is the only Bull to reach base in every game this season. He is second on the team with a .326 avg and with 14 hits.
• Jackson Mayo hit his first home run of the season, his third extra base hit in the series. He had two and scored the winning run Friday. Mayo leads the team with two triples and tied for third on the team with 13 hits.
• Carlos Jacome, who has seen limited action this season, had three hits, his first multi-hit game as a Bull, drove in two runs and scored a run.
Up Next:
USF hosts Villanova in the series finale Sunday, March 9 at 11:00 a.m. at the USF Baseball Stadium. The game can be seen on ESPN+ and heard on Bulls Unlimited radio. Note: Sunday’s game has been moved up to 11:00 a.m. The game was originally scheduled to start at 1:00 p.m.
Tickets:
Tickets to watch Bulls baseball at the USF Baseball Stadium may be purchased by calling 1-800-GoBulls or clicking HERE.
Follow us:
To stay up-to-date on the latest USF Baseball news, follow the Bulls on social media (Twitter | Facebook | Instagram).
About USF Baseball
The South Florida Baseball program played its first season in 1966 and will enter its 60th campaign in 2025. Mitch Hannahs was named South Florida’s eighth head coach in program history on June 8, 2024, after compiling 355 wins over 11 seasons at Indiana State. The 2023 ABCA NCAA DI Midwest Region Coach of the Year guided the Sycamores to six conference titles and five NCAA Regionals. The Bulls have made 14 NCAA Tournament appearances and earned their first-ever Super Regional berth in 2021. The Bulls have won five conference tournament titles (3 Sun Belt, 1 Metro and 1 American) and six regular season championships (3 Sun Belt, 2 Metro and 1 C-USA). USF baseball players have been recognized with All-America honors 12 times and 19 Bulls have earned Freshman All-America accolades. USF has had 131 MLB Draft Picks. Former 2018 first-round draft pick, Shane McClanahan, is a two-time MLB All-Star.
– #GoBulls –
