Orion Kerkering struck out eight batters over 7.0 IP on Friday.
TAMPA (March 25, 2022) – Right-handed pitcher Orion Kerkering (Venice) allowed just two baserunners on Friday night and the University of South Florida (15-7) offense provided plenty of support in a 9-4 victory over Niagara University (2-16) in the opener of a three-game series at USF Baseball Stadium.
Kerkering (4-1) turned in his third quality start of the season as the converted closer logged a career-high 7.0 IP in his starting effort. The redshirt-sophomore scattered just two hits and allowed one run while striking out eight batters. Kerkering has struck out 51 batters this year over 35.0 IP.
South Florida’s bats produced eight or more runs for the fifth time in the last seven games. The Bulls are averaging 9.4 runs over their last 10 games and have an 8-2 record in that span.
After Kerkering retired the Purple Eagles in order in the top of the first, the offense quickly got to work in the bottom half of the inning. Jackson Mayo (St. Johns) sparked a two-out rally after Daniel Cantu (Jacksonville) and Matt Ruiz (Hialeah) walked. Mayo delivered the first run of the night with an RBI-single and Roberto Peña (Caracas, Venezuela) followed with a two-run double to make it a 3-0 ballgame.
Ruiz tacked on a run-scoring single in the third before Niagara got its first and only run off Kerkering in the top of the fourth.
The Bulls answered in the bottom of the fourth with a solo home run by Carmine Lane (Lake Placid).
Nelson Rivera (Toa Alto, Puerto Rico) drew a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the seventh and Lane added to his RBI lead in the American Athletic Conference later in the frame.
Mayo connected on the fourth homer of his freshman campaign in the eighth, a two-run blast, to cap the USF scoring.
Notable
- Lane leads the AAC with 33 RBI this season and leads USF with 11 multi-RBI games.
- Drew Brutcher (Lakeland) went 3-for-5 on the night and has reached base safely in all 22 games this season.
- Peña is batting .370 (10-for-27) with seven extra-base hits, 11 RBI and 12 walks over his last 10 games.
Up Next
The Bulls and Purple Eagles continue their weekend series on Saturday at 2 p.m. in Tampa.
For tickets, please visit usfbullstix.com or call 1-800-Go-Bulls.
About USF Baseball
The USF Baseball program played its first season in 1966 and is entering its 57th season in 2022. Head coach Billy Mohl is entering his fifth season at the helm. 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 players were selected in the 2018 MLB Draft, including the program’s fourth first-round selection in pitcher Shane McClanahan, who made his Major League debut with the Tampa Bay Rays in the 2020 World Series and was the Rays’ postseason game one starter in 2021.
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