The Bulls win the third and final game of the series 5-0, earning a 2-1 series win.
TAMPA, Fla. (April 4, 2026) – University of South Florida baseball shutout Memphis in the third and deciding game of the three-game series. The Bulls (24-8, 5-4 American) defeated the Tigers (10-20, 4-7 American) 5-0.
The Bulls struck first early in the bottom of the first. Ryan Pruitt hit a leadoff double on the first pitch of the game, and Jevin Relaford laid down a sacrifice bunt on the second pitch of the game. Next due up was Matt Rose, who would hit an RBI single to center field to score Pruitt. South Florida led 1-0 to end the first.
The 12th home run of the season for the Bulls came in the bottom of the second. Jake Kulikowski hit his third home run of the season, this one a solo shot. All three of his home runs have been to right field. His first was a grand slam, and his second was also a solo shot. South Florida is now 11-1 in games in which a Bull has hit a home run, after receiving its first loss last night.The score would be 2-0 in favor of the Bulls, heading to the third.
The third run for South Florida came across in the bottom of the sixth. Relaford singled through the left side and stole second. He would later score on an RBI single to center field from Bradke Lohry. The Bulls would lead 3-0 headed to the seventh.
South Florida extended the lead in the bottom half of the eighth. Jacob Green hit a leadoff single to right field. Pruitt would walk, and Relaford would be hit by a pitch to load the bases. Matt Rose would reach on a fielder’s choice that scored Relaford, and advanced Pruitt to third. He would score from third on a sacrifice fly hit by Juan Correa. The Bulls led 5-0 at the end of the eighth, and the score would remain the same after the top of the ninth.
Michael Senay got the start on the mound for the Bulls. He was named D1 Baseball’s Midseason Top Freshman earlier in the week. He threw seven innings and recorded three strikeouts while allowing no runs on four hits and a walk. Ethan Sutton relieved him to start the eighth inning. He threw two perfect innings and recorded three strikeouts.
Notables:
• Jake Kulikowski hit the Bulls’ 12th home run of the season, and South Florida is now 11-1 in games in which a Bull hit a home run.
• Michael Senay earned his fourth quality start and is now 6-0 in the season.
• Senay threw seven innings and recorded three strikeouts while allowing no runs on four hits and a walk.
• This is the third shutout victory for South Florida this season.
• All but one Bull had exactly one hit in the game.
• The all-time series in Tampa is now 10-9 in South Florida’s favor.
Up Next:
South Florida welcomes FGCU just two weeks after playing them on the road down in Fort Myers. The Bulls won that game 7-3. The matchup is slated for Tuesday, April 7th. First pitch is set for 6:00 p.m., and the game will be streaming on ESPN+.
Tickets:
Interested in tickets for the 2026 Bulls baseball season? Click here to learn more.
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 University of South Florida baseball program, founded in 1966, enters its 61st season in 2026. Head coach Mitch Hannahs returns for his second year at the helm after leading the Bulls to 32 wins in his debut season—the program’s highest win total since 2018. USF also posted 16 victories in American Athletic Conference play, marking its best conference showing since joining the league.
Hannahs, a 2023 ABCA NCAA Division I Midwest Region Coach of the Year, was named USF’s eighth head coach on June 8, 2024, after an 11-year run at Indiana State where he tallied 355 wins, six conference titles, and five NCAA Regional appearances.
USF has made 14 NCAA Tournament appearances, including a historic Super Regional berth in 2021. The Bulls have captured five conference tournament titles (three Sun Belt, one Metro, one American) and six regular season championships (three Sun Belt, two Metro, one C-USA).
The program continues to develop top-tier talent with 134 MLB Draft picks all-time, including three selections in 2025. Notable alumni include two-time MLB All-Star and 2018 first-round draft pick Shane McClanahan. Bulls have earned All-America honors 12 times and Freshman All-America recognition 19 times.
– #GoBulls –
