USF Baseball One-Hit In Game 1 of War On I-4 Versus UCF

USF baseball dropped game one of the War on I-4 versus C. Friday night 1-0 despite an absolute gem from LHP Shane McClanahan in front of 1,773 fans at the USF baseball complex.

The Bulls offense was stifled all game long by RHP Cre Finfrock, who went six innings and allowed just a second inning double by Kyle Phillips and struck out eight. USF was without 1B Joe Genord who sat out the second of a five game suspension due to a violation of team rules according to head coach Billy Mohl.

USF entered the game hitting .318 with two outs and had 108 RBI’s with two outs but went 1-for-10 with two outs and 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position.

McClanahan tossed six great and struck out 10 batters, his fifth double digit strikeout performance of the season. His night was nearly derailed just two batters into the game when catcher Tyler Dietrich allowed a passed ball and McClanahan went to cover home and was spiked in the ankle on the slide. He was able to recover and get out of the inning with just the one run allowed.

McClanahan has been roughed up in conference play (The reverse jinx worked) and Mohl said that his focus and mindset was the key difference for the future first rounder tonight.

“His confidence level [was different],” Mohl said. “We had a long chat last week. He was kinda pitching scared his previous few starts and tonight he looked like a guy out there on a mission...When he’s going good, he’s throwing three pitches for strikes.

The Bulls will look to even the series tomorrow when reigning AAC Pitcher of the Week Peter Strzelecki takes the mound.

Notables:

• Bulls pitching allowed just two hits of their own, both in the first inning.
• RHP Richie Cruz threw three solid innings of relief with four strikeouts.
• 3B David Villar was hit-by-pitch twice.