Weekend Roundup: Mixed Results Inside Bulls’ Easter Baskets

Baseball Drops Series To Cincinnati

I suppose it had to happen eventually. USF baseball losing a series at home, that is.

The Bulls dropped two of three to the visiting Cincinnati Bearcats. The Bulls (29-7, 5-4 American) dropped the first two games of the series before slugging their way to a much-needed victory on Saturday afternoon. Four USF home runs, two of those coming off the bat of senior Luke Borders, helped paved the way for the Bulls in a 4-2 comeback win on Saturday.

Thursday and Friday night, however, were not as kind to the Bulls, with a 9-3 blowout loss and 3-2 extra-inning loss, respectively. Saturday night’s one-run defeat had to be most frustrating for USF after leaving a total of eight runners on base. The Bulls came up empty with the bases loaded in the second inning and left the game-winning run on second base in the bottom of the 10th.

There are some interesting fun facts to share though from the weekend. The Bulls pitching staff is now FIRST in the nation in strikeouts per nine innings. They also rank 4th in the country in both team ERA and hits allowed per nine innings.

USF, still well-positioned in the American Conference, will spend this entire week on the road. A midweek game in Jacksonville against North Florida on Wednesday night awaits the Bulls before traveling to Memphis for a key weekend series.

Softball Loses Series To C. Florida

Just as we thought USF softball had maybe turned the corner with four straight wins including a sweep over East Carolina, they went and lost two of three to that school in Orlando.

The Bulls were shut out by the Knights on Thursday night 2-0, a game I did watch for a bit as it was nationally televised by ESPNU. Not much to talk about here.

Friday night, the Bulls’ bats came alive and USF rallied to a 7-2 victory over their rivals. A four-run sixth inning was the difference for the Bulls in this one. The seven runs were the most given up by C. to the Bulls in three years.

USF lost the series on Saturday afternoon, falling in heartbreaking fashion 5-4 in nine innings. The Bulls tied the game with two outs in the seventh inning on a Cassidy Boyle pinch-hit RBI single, but could not muster anything offensively in extras.

USF (26-21, 5-6 American) will look to bounce back this weekend in their final American Conference home series against Memphis.

Men’s Tennis Sweeps Memphis In Regular Season Finale

The USF men’s tennis team finished the regular season on Monday afternoon with a 4-0 sweep of the Memphis Tigers.

Bulls sophomore Alberto Barroso-Campos and senior Vadym Kalyuzhnyy led the way for USF in singles. The duo posted straight-set wins to pull the Bulls within one of clinching the match.

USF will now travel to the UTSA National Campus on Thursday looking for their third consecutive American Conference Championship. Big time kudos for this Bulls squad.

Ladies Golf Struggles At AAC Championship

USF women’s golf finished the second day of the American Championship on Monday in eighth place at 20 over par. Ouch.

The bright spot for the Bulls was senior Taylor Moody, who finished up the second round with the best round in her USF career. She shot an even-par 72 that included four birdies.

We should also note that C.Florida is at 3 under par and in the top five in the tournament. If they finish above USF, it will most likely clinch the “War On I-4” all-sports trophy for the Knights.

Here’s a look at how some of the other Bulls are fairing: