Bulls Host Hatters Wednesday at 6:30

[Brad]

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Bulls Host Hatters Wednesday at 6:30 

 

Matchup: USF (32-8, 7-5 American) vs. Stetson (18-24, 8-4 ASUN)
Dates: Wednesday, April 26, 2017 
Times: 6:30 p.m. 
Location: Tampa, Fla. | USF Baseball Stadium (3,211)
Follow: Stats | Listen 
 

TAMPA, APRIL 25, 2017 – The University of South Florida baseball team plays the first of its final eight home games, hosting Stetson on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. 

The game can be heard AM 1040.

The Bulls went 3-1 last week, taking two of three from Memphis over the weekend following a midweek victory at North Florida.

Series History

Meeting for the third time this year on Wednesday, the Bulls will be looking for a season sweep of the Hatters. USF tied the all-time series at 84-84 with an 8-6 win in DeLand on April 11. The Bulls have made it a habit of putting away Stetson late this year. The two sides met in Tampa on March 28 and played a closely contested game into the seventh before the hosts plated the final five runs, including four in the eighth. The Bulls trailed, 6-2, after six innings in the second meeting before scoring the final six runs, including three in the top of the ninth.  

Scouting Report – Stetson

The Hatters had lost five of six after the 8-6 defeat on April 11, but have won two-straight games. They have outscored their opponents, 27-8, in their last three wins.

Entering a Tuesday contest against Florida State, Stetson continues to be led offensively by sophomore infielder Jack Gonzalez, hitting .323 with five homers and 24 RBI. Sophomore outfielder Jacob Koos is hitting .299 to sit second and leads the team with 37 runs. Classmate Mike Spooner is batting .297 with a team-best 35 RBI.

The pitching staff as a unit leads the ASUN allowing 8.62 hits per nine innings and sits fifth nationally with 10.0 strikeouts per nine innings. Because the Hatters do not play this weekend, their three weekend starters are in line to throw on Wednesday. Junior Brooks Wilson will start Wednesday with his 3.15 ERA in 10 starts. He has struck out a team-high 93 men, the fifth-most in the nation.

Notables

·   The Bulls are receiving votes in the latest USA Today poll (56). The Bulls are currently No. 20 in the latest RPI and No. 26 by the NCBWA.

·   Senior Luke Borders (Winter Haven, Fla.) hit a team-high .529 last week. He scored three runs, hit a double and a home run and posted six RBI en route to his third American Athletic Conference Weekly Honor Roll selection. 

·   Redshirt-senior Ryan Valdes (Tampa) picked up his eighth victory of the year in game one of Sunday’s doubleheader at Memphis, improving to 8-0. His eight wins are tied for the most in the nation.  

·   Freshman D.J. Roberts (Jacksonville, Fla.) will make his third start against the Hatters on Tuesday.

Key Stats 

·   The Bulls’ pitching leads the country in strikeouts per nine innings (10.6). The staff ranks third in WHIP and third in hits allowed per nine innings. It also ranks fourth in team ERA.  

·   Borders is hitting a league-best .451 during conference play this season. He sits third on the team with a .358 average on the year and a club-leading 36 runs scored.  

·   Junior Kevin Merrell (Odessa, Fla.) sits seventh in the country with a .403 average.

·   Merrell has six hits against the Hatters in the two matchups this year with two runs scored and three RBI.

·   Sophomore Joe Genord (Lake Worth, Fla.) has gone 4-for-9 with two runs and four RBI against Stetson this year.

·   Redshirt-junior Andres Leal (Tampa) went 3-for-5 in the April 11 win at Stetson with a run scored.

[Mama_Bull]

Stetson is hosting FSU tonight and is down 1-6 in the 5th inning.

We don't need them to have any good momentum.

 

 

 

[Ionbull]

1 hour ago, Mama_Bull said:

Stetson is hosting FSU tonight and is down 1-6 in the 5th inning.

We don't need them to have any good momentum.

 

 

 

Mostly I'm okay with other teams doing well, except against us, to increase the ol SOS. But in this scenario I'd rather FSU keep it up so our W against them looks better 

[Mama_Bull]

2 minutes ago, Ionbull said:

Mostly I'm okay with other teams doing well, except against us, to increase the ol SOS. But in this scenario I'd rather FSU keep it up so our W against them looks better 

Me too. They are just outside the top 25. A win against Stetson RPI 200+ won't help them, but a loss would certainly hurt their RPI. The same is true for us.

 

[JoeB]

Stetson lost 11-5 and used 5 pitchers, so that should help us.  None of these guys will be able to pitch against us most likely.  It will be tough enough for us as DJ Roberts will be making his 3rd start against Stetson.  It would have been nice to have another arm available but last weekend didn't help losing Shane in the 1st and having to go to Valdes.

[Brad]

It's kinda like a war on i4 isnt it?

[Ionbull]

2 hours ago, Brad said:

It's kinda like a war on i4 isnt it?

Staaaahhhhhhp

[Ionbull]

2 hours ago, JoeB said:

Stetson lost 11-5 and used 5 pitchers, so that should help us.  None of these guys will be able to pitch against us most likely.  It will be tough enough for us as DJ Roberts will be making his 3rd start against Stetson.  It would have been nice to have another arm available but last weekend didn't help losing Shane in the 1st and having to go to Valdes.

Didn't really think of that but they may have a lot more success of Roberts since this is the THIRD time seeing him.

[charsibb]

2 hours ago, Brad said:

It's kinda like a war on i4 isnt it?

Is that like being kinda pregnant?

 

[JoeB]

Need a solid start from DJ.  Did some research on the Stetson pitcher and it looks like he goes pretty deep in most games, and has a good ERA too.  Need to score early on him and keep the pressure on Stetson all game long.  Would be nice to get Win #33 prior to Houston coming to town.