Head Coach Mitch Hannahs’ era of USF baseball begins with a three-game Iowa Series
Game Details: Friday-Sunday, Feb. 14-16, Times: 6:30 p.m., 2:00 p.m. & 11:00 a.m.
Parking: Details
TV: ESPN+
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Live Coverage: Stats
South Florida Links: Notes | News | Roster | Schedule
Promotions: USF Baseball Shirt Giveaway & 2025 Schedule Posters
Tickets: HERE
TAMPA, FEB. 13, 2025 – University of South Florida baseball will open its 60th season and first under head coach Mitch Hannahs on Friday at the USF Baseball stadium with the first of a three-game series vs. Iowa. Friday’s first pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. and the game can be seen on ESPN+ or heard on Bulls Unlimited digital radio.
The Bulls will turn to a pair of new pitching staff additions to get the 2025 campaign underway. Junior left-hander Corey Braun, a transfer from Ole Miss, will take the mound Friday while junior right-hander James Hill, a transfer from College of Central Florida, will be on the hump Saturday. Sunday’s series closing starter for the Bulls remains to be decided.
Iowa went 31-23 last year and finished fourth in the Big Ten with a 14-10 conference record.
USF is 39-20 all-time in season openers and 7-4 since joining the American Athletic Conference.
Setting The Stage:
Mitch Hannahs was named South Florida’s eighth head coach in program history on June 8, 2024, after compiling 355 wins over 11 seasons at Indiana State. The 2023 ABCA NCAA DI Midwest Region Coach of the Year guided the Sycamores to six conference titles and five NCAA Regionals, guiding ISU to a spot in the 2023 NCAA Super Regional. He takes over a USF team that went 26-29 last year and features 24 new players. The Bulls return five position players and nine pitchers from the 2024 team.
Series History:
The Bulls and Hawkeyes have met five times since first clashing in 1991. USF holds a 4-1 series lead and won the last meeting, 6-0, in Tampa on Feb. 19, 2017. All five previous meetings have been in Tampa. Iowa claimed its lone victory, 4-2, taking the middle game of the 2017 series. The Bulls’ four wins have come by an average of over five runs per game.
Note-A-Bull:
Rafael Betancourt was named to the preseason All-AAC team as a designated hitter. The junior has been a staple in the South Florida lineup since his rookie campaign when he was named to the 2023 AAC All-Freshman Team. A switch-hitter, Betancourt has posted a career .310 batting average with 29 extra-base hits, eight homers and 52 RBI over his first two seasons with the Bulls.
60th Year of USF Baseball:
The South Florida Baseball program played its first season in 1966 and will enter its 60th campaign in 2025. The Bulls have made 14 NCAA Tournament appearances and earned their first-ever Super Regional berth in 2021. USF has won 11 conference titles – five tournament titles (3 Sun Belt, 1 Metro and 1 American) and six regular season championships (3 Sun Belt, 2 Metro and 1 C-USA). Bulls baseball players have been recognized with All-America honors 12 times and 19 Bulls have earned Freshman All-America accolades.
Tickets:
Tickets to watch Bulls baseball at the USF Baseball Stadium may be purchased by calling 1-800-GoBulls or clicking HERE.
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About USF Baseball
The South Florida Baseball program played its first season in 1966 and will enter its 60th campaign in 2025. Mitch Hannahs was named South Florida’s eighth head coach in program history on June 8, 2024, after compiling 355 wins over 11 seasons at Indiana State. The 2023 ABCA NCAA DI Midwest Region Coach of the Year guided the Sycamores to six conference titles and five NCAA Regionals. The Bulls have made 14 NCAA Tournament appearances and earned their first-ever Super Regional berth in 2021. 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 and 19 Bulls have earned Freshman All-America accolades. USF has had 131 MLB Draft Picks. Former 2018 first-round draft pick, Shane McClanahan, is a two-time MLB All-Star.
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