Bulls score a season-high 10 runs to complete the series sweep against Northwestern
TAMPA (March 1, 2020) – The USF baseball team (5-7) scored a season-high 10 runs against Northwestern (3-6) securing the series sweep defeating the Wildcats, 10-5 Sunday afternoon.
The Bulls came out of the gates firing, taking a three-run lead in the bottom of the second inning. Jake Sullivan (Tampa, Fla.) would kick off the rally with a one-out single up the middle. Riley Hogan (Orlando, Fla.) would move Sullivan into scoring position with a single through the left side. Julio Cortez (Weston, Fla.) would spark the Bulls offense with a base clearing triple to right field. Carmine Lane (Lake Placid, Fla.) would drive a ball to deep center field, scoring Cortez to make it 3-0.
Northwestern was able to battle back, scoring four unanswered runs throughout three innings to tie the game at four heading into the bottom of the sixth inning.
The Bulls offense exploded in the sixth and seventh innings, scoring a total of six runs. Three walks loaded the bases in the sixth leading to a Dontae Mitchell (St. Petersburg, Fla.) RBI ground out. USF would capitalize with runners in scoring position when Jordan Santos (Tampa, Fla.) drilled a hard-hit ball to short, scoring Lane and Daniel Cantu (Saint Johns, Fla.).
JD Dutka (Suwanee, Ga.) led off the bottom of the seventh with a double down the left field line. A throwing error by Jack Anderson would cause Dutka to score the first run of the inning. After Hogan would draw a walk, Cantu would move him into scoring position with an infield single to third. Lane would load the bases for the Bulls with a single to shallow left field. USF would take a five-run lead thanks to a two-run double by Mitchell.
Nick Davila (Hialeah, Fla.) picked up his second win of the season, recording one strikeout through 0.2 innings.
QUOTABLE
Coach Billy Mohl on Today’s Win:
“Yesterday we hit the ball hard, but nothing fell. Today the difference was Julio Cortez’s triple in the bottom of the third, which helped spark our offense. That at-bat is what helped our bats get going this afternoon.”
Notable
· JD Dutka (Suwanee, Ga.) extended his hitting streak to five games.
· Orion Kerkering (Venice, Fla.) tossed two innings of relief recording two strikeouts.
· Julio Cortez hit the first triple for the Bulls in 2020.
· Nick Gonzalez (Tampa, Fla.) went 2-for-5 with a triple, and a run.
· Dontae Mitchell finished with a career-high three RBI.
About USF Baseball
The University of South Florida baseball program is one of the fastest rising programs in the country. The Bulls earned their third NCAA Regional berth in the last four seasons and had six all-conference selections in 2018. Four players were selected in the 2018 MLB Draft, including the program’s fourth first rounder, pitcher Shane McClanahan. Third baseman David Villar was taken in the 11th round after being named first team all-conference and an All-American. The Bulls reached the NCAA Regionals in 2015 for the first time in 13 years and followed that success with a 42-19 record and second NCAA regional trip in three years in 2017. The Bulls continued the success in head coach Billy Mohl first season in 2018, reaching 36 wins and advancing to the semifinals of the conference tournament for the first time since 2012, while being ranked in multiple polls for the final two months of the season. The USF Baseball program has won five conference titles and the Bulls have made 13 NCAA appearances.
– #GoBulls –
