The Bulls open a nine-game homestand which includes eight conference games.
MATCHUP: USF vs. Stetson (single game)
SCHEDULE: Tuesday, March 30 at 6 p.m.
FOLLOW: USF Live Stats I Twitter updates @USFBaseball
RADIO: BullsUnlimited (iheart Radio)
WATCH: ESPN+ (USF)
TAMPA (March 29, 2021) – Coming off their toughest test of the season, the USF Bulls (9-12) return home to begin a nine-game homestand on Tuesday versus the Stetson University Hatters (16-8). It will be the fifth and final meeting between the two teams this year as USF has won three of the first four matchups this season. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. on Tuesday at USF Baseball Stadium.
The Bulls are coming off a three-game sweep at the hands of then-No. 6 Texas Tech over the weekend. The Red Raiders moved up to No. 4 in the national poll this week. USF has dropped nine of its last 11 games since rattling off a seven-game winning streak, and will look to get back in the win column Tuesday prior to opening American Athletic Conference play on Thursday opposite UCF.
Head coach Billy Mohl (4th season) has announced Devin Hemenway (Niceville) as Tuesday’s starter. The redshirt sophomore will be making his first start and fifth appearance on the year.
Redshirt freshman Carmine Lane (Lake Placid) enters the week leading the Bulls in batting average (.346) and ranks second on the team in hits (27), runs (17) and OBP (.398). Lane is hitting .563 (9-for-16) in four games against the Hatters this season, and has a four-hit game in the series on March 7th.Drew Brutcher (Lakeland) and Roberto Peña (Caracas, Venezuela) have each homered four times against Stetson in those four games. Brutcher saw his streak of 19 consecutive games reaching base safely to begin the year come to an end at Texas Tech on Saturday. The true freshman is batting .333 on the season and leads USF in hits (28), runs (20), homers (7), slugging (.462) and OBP (.456).
Collectively on the mound this season, USF ranks 36th in the country in strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.90) and is 43rd nationally in strikeouts/9-innings (10.2).
Scouting Stetson
The Bulls have handed the Hatters three of their eight losses so far this season. Stetson opened conference action in the ASUN last weekend, winning two of three from FGCU. The Bulls have dropped all six of their contests to FGCU this year. Overall, the Hatters have won five of their last seven games dating back to the last USF meeting on 3/16. Stetson uses a formula of good pitching, clean defense and timely hitting. The Hatters four shutouts this season rank fourth in the country and their .982 fielding percentage ranks 13th nationally.
Hernen Sardinas, who leads Stetson in batting average (.381), RBI (23) and total bases (51), was named the co-ASUN Player of the Week after hitting .600 with six RBI over four games last week. Nick Long is scheduled to make the start for Stetson on Tuesday. It will be the redshirt junior’s first start of the season (fifth appearance). The right-hander has appeared twice this year against USF and allowed one run on five hits with three walks and six punchouts over 3.2 IP.
Up Next
The Bulls begin AAC action with a four-game series against UCF on Thursday, April 1. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. at USF Baseball Stadium.
About USF Baseball
The USF Baseball program played its first season in 1966 and is entering its 56th season in 2021. The Bulls have won 1,628 games entering the 2021 season and made 13 NCAA Tournament appearances, including three since 2015. The Bulls have won four conference tournament titles (3 Sun Belt and 1 Metro) and had 126 all-conference selections. USF baseball players have been recognized with All-America honors 12 times, most recently with third baseman David Villar in 2018. Four players were selected in the 2018 MLB Draft, including the program’s fourth first round selection in pitcher Shane McClanahan, who appeared in the 2020 World Series with the Tampa Bay Rays. The Bulls saw continued success in head coach Billy Mohl’s first season in 2018, reaching 36 wins, advancing to the semifinals of the conference tournament for the first time since 2012, and making the program’s latest NCAA Tournament appearance while also achieving a ranking in multiple polls for the final two months of the season.
– #GoBulls –
