TAMPA (Feb. 27, 2021) – The USF Bulls (3-3) scored in bunches on Saturday afternoon, putting up crooked numbers in the first and fifth frames, to win their third straight ballgame over Florida A&M (0-7) at USF Baseball Stadium, 9-4.
FAMU took an early two-run lead in the top of the first inning, but just as was the case in Friday’s opener, the Bulls answered in a hurry.
Drew Brutcher (Lakeland) and Matt Ruiz (Hialeah) each walked to begin the bottom of the frame, and Riley Hogan (Orlando) unloaded on his second longball in two days to give the Bulls a 3-2 advantage. Carmine Lane (Lake Placid) extended the lead with a two-out solo homer.
The Rattlers chipped away at their deficit with a solo home run in the fourth and an unearned run in the fifth to knot the score at 4-4 before the USF bats took over again.
The Bulls batted around in the fifth frame, retaking the lead on a sacrifice fly by Roberto Pena (Caracas, Venezuela). Lane added an RBI-single, Julio Cortez (Weston) followed with a two-run single and Dontae Mitchell (St. Petersburg) closed the inning with an RBI-single to make it a 9-4 affair.
Baron Stuart (Okeechobee) picked up his first win of the season in a strong relief effort. Stuart (1-0) allowed just three baserunners on two hits and one walk over 4.1 IP while matching a career high of seven strikeouts.
Collin Sullivan (Randolph, Mass.) earned a no decision in his first start of the season, allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits with five strikeouts over 4.2 IP.
Quotable
Head coach Billy Mohl on the Bulls’ resiliency early this season: “We talk about it all the time – punch, counterpunch. We got punched in the mouth in the first inning with two runs and our guys responded with four. I’m seeing a lot of confidence in our hitters at the plate right now.”
On Baron Stuart’s relief effort: “He was great today. We preach to all our guys, they need to be ready for any role, especially in a four-game series. Baron bounced back well from last weekend, and I was proud of his effort.”
On his young roster and their production: “These guys are hungry; they bring great energy and have confidence. It’s nice to have a bench full of options where you have faith in the results just as much as we do with our starters.”
Notable
- Ruiz (batting .519) has hit safely in all six USF games and has six extra-base hits in the last three games.
- Brutcher (batting .435) extended his hitting streak to six straight games to begin his collegiate career.
- Lane also has a six-game hitting streak to begin the season and is batting .421.
- Hogan reached base four times, finishing the day 2-for-3 with a homer, two walks and three RBI.
- Cortez has four RBI over his last two games as the starting catcher.
- Keanu Jacobs-Guishard (Philipsburg, St. Maarten) notched his first collegiate hit as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning.
- The Bulls enter the series finale on Sunday winners of 19 of the last 22 meetings with FAMU.
Up Next
The Bulls and Rattlers conclude their four-game series on Sunday at USF Baseball Stadium with first pitch scheduled for 12 p.m.
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 –
