USF baseball snags Opening Weekend series win
The Bulls took an Opening Weekend series win over Iowa, scraping together bunts and home runs to win Sunday’s rubber match.
It was the first series win under coach Mitch Hannahs, who is looking to give the team some new guidance after former coach Billy Mohl was fired in the off season.
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The Bulls won the first game of their 60th season, but couldn’t get enough hits together to capitalize for game two on Saturday.
But they shaped up Sunday, putting together nine runs and 13 hits.
Friday
On Friday, the Bulls took its 40th Opening Day victory with a 5-4 win over Iowa.
South Florida was outhit with just three hits compared to Iowa’s eight. But then the Bulls got the big hit they needed.
Down by one in the seventh with the bases loaded and two outs, Ryan Pruitt knocked a grand slam over the right-centerfield wall.
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Pruitt played all three spots in the outfield this weekend, nailed homers, got quick hits and bunted.
“He’s a very versatile player,” Hannahs said after Sunday’s game.
Pruitt, who transferred to USF this season, was a bright spot in a dim lineup. He went 5-for-9 in the series, including the grand slam.
“I was just up there not trying to do too much,” Pruitt said.
But Iowa wasn’t going to go down without a fight.
Leading by three runs heading into the ninth, the Bulls got in trouble, letting a pair of Hawkeyes cross the plate. But Brandon Keyster closed it out with a series of quick outs, securing USF’s narrow win.
Saturday
On Saturday, the Bulls’ hitting woes continued, falling 8-2 against Iowa.
“We just didn’t do anything offensively,” Hannahs added.
He said a poor performance by Bulls starter James Hill and a strong performance by Iowa’s pitching staff contributed to the loss.
“We played as poorly as I felt we could play,” he said.
Related: USF baseball eyes to prove itself after disappointing 2024 campaign – The Oracle
USF took an early lead for the second straight game, but Iowa starter Aaron Savary settled in quickly after, tossing 10 strikeouts over six innings
Meanwhile, Hill gave up three runs in his short two-inning outing. He was relieved by Matt Brown in the third after giving up a well-hit triple down the right field line.
But Brown couldn’t keep Hawkeye bats at bay either, giving up a trio of runs off two hits.
A trio of relievers finished out the game for USF, forfeiting two more runs.
The Bulls only got three hits Saturday compared to Iowa’s 11.
Sunday
South Florida scored first in all three games, including a solo home run by Sebastian Greico in the bottom of the first Sunday.
“I think we were more aggressive to play,” Hannahs said about the change in mentality heading into Sunday’s game.
Iowa had a 4-2 lead heading into the final four frames.
But Bulls hitting was more productive in the series finale, getting 13 hits, more than double the first two games combined.
“We came in today knowing yesterday that our bats just weren’t there,” Pruitt said. “We knew that we had to come in today and get some hits.”
Then, the bats came alive in the bottom of the sixth.
Marcus Brodil homered to dead center in the bottom of the sixth to put the Bulls within one run of Iowa.
The Bulls loaded the bags with one out and Iowa reliever Brant Hogue walked one in to tie the game.
Greico dropped a double to give South Florida a three-run lead over Iowa. A pair of errors by Iowa second baseman Andy Nelson and right fielder Jackson Beaman allowed three Bulls to cross home plate.
Iowa scored a run in the seventh and South Florida answered with two.
The Bulls got three of their hits on bunts and three on homers Sunday.
“We’re just looking to get better,” Hannahs said. “We got a lot to do to improve a lot.”
South Florida will host Florida State at 5 p.m. Tuesday. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and Bulls Unlimited.
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