Rafael Betancourt homered and tallied a career-high seven RBI on Friday.
TAMPA (February 23, 2024) – Rafael Betancourt (Deltona) went 4-for-4 with a home run and career-high seven RBI on Friday afternoon as the University of South Florida (1-2) run-ruled Marist College (1-3) in seven innings, 16-3, at USF Baseball Stadium.
Betancourt’s seven RBI are the most by a Bulls since Buddy Putnam (7) on March 29, 2015. South Florida’s 16 total runs are the most since a 19-run outburst at Cincinnati on April 24, 2022.
A strength of the team in 2023, the offense was held in check over the first two games of the 2024 campaign, but showcased its returning potential in a big way as every Bulls recorded at least one hit on Friday. Not to be overshadowed by Betancourt, Bobby Boser (Wesley Chapel) matched a career high with four RBI.
On the mound, Hunter Mink (Palm Harbor) tallied his first win of the young season with his second consecutive solid outing on the mound. Mink (1-1) allowed two runs on three hits with five strikeouts over 5.0 IP. The senior right-hander ran into trouble in the first inning, but escaped a bases-loaded jam with no outs by only yielding one run, and the offense immediately answered.
A sac fly by Boser quickly knotted the score at 1-1 in the bottom of the first. Betancourt got his big day started with the go-ahead RBI-single and Ben Rozenblum (Coral Springs) padded the lead with a wind-aided triple to make it a 3-1 affair.
Boser drove in his second run of the day in the second inning while Betancourt added a two-run single to give Mink and the Bulls a 6-1 advantage.
South Florida broke the game open with seven runs in the bottom of the fourth frame. Matt Rose (Clearwater), Eric Snow (Forsyth, Ga.) and Drew Brutcher (Lakeland) all reached base to open the inning ahead of a two-run single by Boser. Betancourt was next with the big blow, a three-run homer to left-center field.
Jackson Mayo (St. Johns) capped the scoring with a towering two-run homer to left field in the fifth inning.
Notable
- The Bulls stole a season-high five bases on Friday – which is expected to be a new focus of the offense in 2024.
- Betancourt and Boser combined for 11 of USF’s 15 RBI in the ballgame.
- Austin Grause (Tampa) turned in a scoreless seventh inning of relief to close the game.
- Through three games with Coach Mohl back at the helm of the pitching staff, the Bulls own a 2.52 ERA.
Up Next
South Florida and Marist continue their weekend series with a doubleheader on Saturday, February 24 beginning at 1 p.m. in Tampa.
Double Play Passes, which include one ticket to every home baseball and softball game, can be purchased now for $99. Group and single game tickets are also on sale and can be purchased here or by calling 1-800-Go-Bulls.
About USF Baseball
The USF Baseball program played its first season in 1966 and is entering its 59th season in 2024 under head coach Billy Mohl (seventh 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 19 have earned Freshman All-America accolades, most recently Eric Snow in 2023. 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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