The Bulls won four straight games by 10 or more runs for the first time in program history.
South Florida scored 49 total runs over the four-game sweep and allowed just six to Marist. USF collectively batted .395 and posted a .516 OBP with 23 walks, 18 extra-base hits and 12 stolen bases. The pitching staff tallied a 1.93 ERA.
“It was good to see our guys bounce back after the first two games of the season,” said head coach Billy Mohl. “We didn’t get the offense going on opening weekend, which was against two NCAA Regional teams, but we’ve also got a new offensive philosophy in place, and no matter the sport, when you have a new system in place, sometimes it takes a little time to marinate. We played good fundamental baseball all weekend and performed in all four phases – hitting, base running, pitching and defense. It’s a good step forward, and one which we need to build on.”
The Bulls’ runs came in bunches on Sunday afternoon, scoring four runs consecutively in the third, fourth and fifth innings.
A two-out rally sparked the offense in the third inning as Ben Rozenblum (Coral Springs) broke the scoring seal with a two-run triple and Joaquin Monque (Weston) followed with a two-run single.
Jackson Mayo (St. John’s) added to the lead with a two-run double in the fourth frame, Rozenblum chipped in a sacrifice fly and Mayo later scored on a wild pitch to make it an 8-0 affair.
Bobby Boser (Wesley Chapel), Rafael Betancourt (Deltona) and John Montes (Toa Alto, Puerto Rico) each drove in runs in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Jack Cebert (Tampa) picked up his first win of the season on the mound. Cebert (1-1) struck out four batters and allowed one run on two hits over 5.0 IP. Cebert has only allowed one earned run over his first two starts of the season (10.0 IP).
Two-sport star Bryce Archie (Powder Springs, Ga.), also a member of the USF football team, made his collegiate baseball debut and recorded a scoreless sixth inning on the mound with one strikeout.
Notable
- USF had previous won three straight games by 10 or more runs four times (most recently vs. Florida A&M on March 15-17, 2013).
- The Bulls’ last four-game series sweep was also against Florida A&M on February 26-28, 2021.
- USF’s last series sweep (3 games) was against Niagara on March 25-27, 2022.
- Through six games with Coach Mohl back at the helm of the pitching staff, the Bulls own a 1.96 ERA.
- Betancourt batted .636 (7-for-11) with a homer and seven RBI in the four-game series.
- Monque, Mayo and Montes each batted .500 or better over the weekend.
Up Next
The Bulls will hit the road for their next six games beginning with a showdown at Florida State on Tuesday, March 27 at 5 p.m. in Tallahassee.
Double Play Passes, which include one ticket to every home baseball and softball game, can be purchased now for $99. Group and single game tickets are also on sale and can be purchased here or by calling 1-800-Go-Bulls.
About USF Baseball
The USF Baseball program played its first season in 1966 and is entering its 59th season in 2024 under head coach Billy Mohl (seventh season). The Bulls have made 14 NCAA Tournament appearances, including four since 2015, and earned their first-ever Super Regional berth in 2021. USF was ranked in the Top 25 by five different publications in the final 2021 polls, checking in as high as No. 16. 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, most recently with third baseman David Villar in 2018, and 19 have earned Freshman All-America accolades, most recently Eric Snow in 2023. Four Bulls were selected in the 2022 MLB Draft. Former 2018 first-round selection, Shane McClanahan, became the program’s first-ever MLB All-Star in 2022 and was the starting pitcher for the American League.
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