USF defeated South Alabama, 6-4, to become just the seventh Regional No. 4 seed to advance to a Super Regional.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (June 7, 2021) – The University of South Florida Bulls continue to make history.
After washing away a 26-year drought between winning conference postseason championships, the Bulls endured four rain delays over four days that totaled seven and a half hours, to prevail as the Gainesville Regional champions.
South Florida defeated South Alabama on Monday, 6-4, to advance to the program’s first-ever NCAA Super Regional.
The Bulls become just the seventh Regional No. 4 team to ever advance to a Super Regional and the first since 2017 (Davidson). USF’s path to history went through No. 15-nationally ranked and host, Florida, perennial powerhouse, Miami, and South Alabama in the regional final.
South Alabama tossed a 4-0 shutout at the Bulls earlier in the day in a game that was suspended on Sunday night in the fifth inning due to rain which set up the winner-take-all championship on Monday.
The Jaguars struck first with a run in the finale and padded their lead to 2-0 after three innings, while continuing to blank the Bulls for 12 consecutive innings over the two games.
A sensational catch robbed Nick Gonzalez (Tampa) of a two-run homer in the top of the third frame and extended USF’s scoring slump.
That catch might have deflated most teams. Not this team. The Bulls responded how they have all season long.
Daniel Cantu (Jacksonville), the AAC Tournament Most Outstanding Player, who hadn’t recorded a hit all weekend, produced a timely two-out single in the fourth inning. Jake Sullivan (Tampa) followed with a single and Matt Ruiz (Hialeah) walked to load the bases.
Mobile, Alabama native Jarrett Eaton then tied the game with a two-run double to right field. Eaton stayed hot in his next at-bat, delivering another two-out knock to chase home Cantu for the go-ahead run.
The teams traded runs in the eighth inning before the Bulls tacked on a pair of important insurance runs in the ninth. One of those coming on a heroic pinch-hit appearance by Drew Brutcher (Lakeland). A true freshman, Bruthcer began the season as one of USF’s top offensive weapons before suffering an injury. He hadn’t appeared in a game since April 17th before also pinch hitting in game one against South Alabama.
On the mound, Orion Kerkering (Venice) picked up the win after turning in his second-longest relief appearance of the season (4.1 IP). The redshirt freshman struck out five Jaguars and allowed just one run on two hits.
Joseph Sanchez (Miami) gave the Bulls two scoreless innings against Miami on Saturday and returned Monday to earn the save with a gutsy performance. Sanchez entered the game against South Alabama with the then-tying run at third base and only one out in the bottom of the eighth and got USF out of a huge jam.
Quotable – Head Coach Billy Mohl
- On the Bulls overcoming the odds once again to win the Gainesville Regional – “That was just a gusty win. We’ve got a group in that locker room that believes in each other, and plays for each other. There was no quit in them, despite all the rain delays, and that first loss to South Alabama.”
- On Jarrett Eaton’s clutch performance – “Down the stretch, dating back to the conference tournament, he’s been unbelievable. He plays hard and he’s a great kid. He deserves every bit of this time to have the spotlight shining on him.”
- On reaching the program’s first Super Regional – “This is such a special group of guys, and they’ll forever be remembered as the team who got it done. But, as they’ll tell you, they aren’t done yet. They want to be the first team to get to Omaha, and we have the leadership in that clubhouse who believes in that.”
Notable
- Ruiz, Sullivan and Nelson Rivera (Toa Alto, Puerto Rico) were each named to the Gainesville Regional All-Tournament Team.
- Sullivan was named the Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.
- Riley Hogan (Orlando) batted .500 (8-for-16) with three extra-base hits and four RBI at the Gainesville Regional.
- Devin Hemenway (Niceville), a former Florida Gator, tossed three shutout innings (his longest outing of the season) in Game 1 against South Alabama at Florida Ballpark.
Up Next
South Florida advances to the NCAA Super Regional in Austin to face the No. 2-nationally ranked Texas Longhorns. The Supper Regional is abest-of-three series with the winner advancing to the College World Series in Omaha. The Austin Super Regional schedule will be announced on Tuesday.
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 –
