The Bulls gear up for their third weekend series at home that starts Friday
MATCHUP: USF (2-7) vs Northwestern (3-3)
SCHEDULE: Friday, 7 p.m.
Saturday, 6:30 p.m.
Sunday, 1 p.m.
LOCATION: Tampa, Fla. | USF Baseball Stadium
FOLLOW: Live Stats, Twitter updates @USFBaseball
RADIO: BullsUnlimited (Friday) & BullsUnlimited 2 (Saturday & Sunday)
GAME NOTES: (PDF)
TAMPA (Feb. 27, 2020) – The USF baseball team will play host to Northwestern during a three-game weekend series that begins Friday night.
The Bulls (2-7) offense showed promise against No. 6 Miami during their midweek battle Wednesday afternoon. USF took the lead early when Carmine Lane (Lake Placid, Fla.) belted his first career homer to left-center. The Hurricanes answered back, scoring five runs through the next five innings, but JD Dutka (Suwanee, Ga.) tied the game in the top of the seventh with a two-run homer. Raymond Gil spoiled the Bulls’ chances of an upset with a walk-off home run.
Several Bulls found themselves top three in The American in categories after two weeks of play. Dontae Mitchell (St. Petersburg, Fla.) leads the AAC in walks at nine. Logan Lyle (Bartow, Fla.) and Dylan Burns (Vero Beach, Fla.) have made the most appearances (5). Jake Sullivan (Tampa, Fla.) and Dutka are tied for second in at-bats with 36. Nick Gonzalez (Tampa, Fla.) is tied for first in assists (21). Right-hander Jack Jasiak (Spring Hill, Fla.) is first in the conference in walks (1), and second in the conference in strikeouts (20).
Collin Sullivan (Randolph, Mass.), will get the call Friday’s game of the series. Jasiak will be on the hill for the Bulls to start the Saturday evenings tilt. On the mound to close out the series will be Carson Ragsdale (Wesley Chapel, Fla.) on Sunday.
The Matchup
The Bulls’ have a 7-2 lead in their all-time series against Northwestern. The last time the two programs faced each other USF took the three-game series, 2-1 in March 2014.
Know the Foe
· Northwestern heads into the weekend series against the Bulls at 3-3. The took two games at South Carolina this past weekend.
· Sophomore right-hander Mike Doherty will get the call to open up the series on the mound for Northwestern. Redshirt sophomore right-hander Tyler Uberstine will be on hill to start game two on Saturday. The Wildcats will go to junior Quinn Lavelle to close out the series on Sunday.
Notable
· JD Dutka hit his first home run since May 17, 2018.
· Dontae Mitchell drew his ninth walk against No. 6 Miami to move into first in the AAC.
· Carmine Lane hit his first career home run in the top of the first inning at No. 6 Miami.
· Carson Ragsdale has 19 strikeouts on the season heading into this weekend.
Up Next
The Bulls will head to Gainesville for a three-game series against No. 1 Florida, March 6-8.
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 –
