The Bulls dropped the final two games of the weekend series by three combined runs.
BOCA RATON (February 26, 2023) – The University of South Florida Bulls and Florida Atlantic University Owls played a back-and-forth battle for the second straight day in the rubber match of a three-game series on Sunday afternoon. For the second straight day, FAU jumped ahead early only to see South Florida answer back, but ultimately the Owls responded and held on for an 8-6 victory on their home field.
USF falls to 3-5 on the young season and FAU improves to 6-1 after the Bulls handed the Owls their first loss of the season in the series opener on Friday, 5-1. FAU claimed Saturday’s game in 11 innings, 8-7.
The Owls scored twice in the bottom of the first inning on Sunday and padded their lead to 4-0 in the second frame.
Jackson Mayo (St. Johns) cut the FAU lead in half with his second home run of the series, a two-run blast in the top of the fourth inning. Freshman Eric Snow collected his first collegiate hit and RBI with a run-scoring double later in the inning and Daniel Cantu (Jacksonville) homered for the second straight game to give the Bulls a 5-4 lead to cap a five-run inning.
A pair of two-run home runs stood as the difference in the ballgame as the Owls left the ballpark twice in the bottom of the fifth to reclaim the lead, 8-5.
Just as they did on Saturday, the Bulls continued to fight and cut their deficit to 8-6 in the top of the ninth inning on an RBI-single by Marcus Brodil (Dunedin). Brodil’s single put the tying runs on base with one out, and both runners moved into scoring position with two outs, but the Owls closed the door.
Notable
- Drew Brutcher (Lakeland) hit safely in all three games of the series, including a pair of hits on Saturday and Sunday, and currently owns a four-game hitting streak.
- Bobby Boser (Wesley Chapel) had his career-best seven-game hitting streak snapped on Sunday.
- John Montes (Tao Alto, Puerto Rico) went 6-for-12 with a double and two RBI in the series.
- Mayo is batting .375 (6-for-16) with three homers and nine RBI over his last five games.
- Freshman southpaw Justin Jackson (Naples) tossed two scoreless innings in Sunday’s finale.
Up Next
The Bulls will wrap up their five-game road trip at Florida State on Wednesday, March 1 at 5 p.m. The Seminoles, currently unranked, could be USF’s sixth Top 25 matchup of the year as FSU won the first two games of its weekend series at No. 8 TCU.
About USF Baseball
The USF Baseball program played its first season in 1966 and is entering its 58th season in 2023 under head coach Billy Mohl (sixth 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 18 have earned Freshman All-America accolades, most recently Drew Brutcher and Carmine Lane in 2021. 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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