Baseball team starts weekend series

USF (1-2) begins a three game set on the road versus No. 19 FSU (4-0) on Saturday at the Dick Howser Stadium in Tallahassee. 

The Bulls hope to earn two wins at the least to leave Florida’s capital even at .500.

This may pose as a difficult task for USF to complete because FSU thrives on its home turf. In fact, the Seminoles went 32-5 and never lost a series at the stadium last season.

The Seminoles are currently on an 11-game home winning streak, dating back to last season.

USF hurler Nick Gonzalez and FSU pitcher Brandon Leibrandt are the projected starters for Saturday’s game. 

Gonzalez lasted two-thirds of an inning in the last game and was replaced after giving up three runs and surrendering two walks to Cardinal hitters.  

The sophomore Leibrandt is coming off of a win against Rhode Island. He tossed five innings and struck out six Rams in FSU’s 11-5 victory last week.

Saturday’s other matchup will be headlined by starting pitchers Joey Lovecchio and Scott Sitz.

Lovecchio will be on the mound for the Bulls and he aspires to have an appearance similar to his last against Purdue, in which he struck out five batters through five and did not give up an earned run. 

Juniors Nolan Thomas and Peter Miller are slated to start in the closing game on Sunday. 

Thomas struggled in his first start for the Bulls last week, and anticipates better results the second time around. Thomas threw for three innings and a third, walked four and gave up four runs in USF’s 12-2 loss to Indiana.

Miller will also aim to improve after being roughed up by the Rams in his last start. Miller walked four batters and gave up two runs in two-and-a-third in FSU’s closing game versus Rhode Island. 

Thomas and the Bulls will need to choose their pitches wisely when facing FSU’s senior slugger Justin Gonzalez.