The USF Athletics Weekend Roundup: Bat Sports Edition

Before we talk about big conference series wins for baseball and softball, be sure to catch up on our 2018 NFL Draft coverage where we discuss DT Deadrin Senat being selected in the third round by Atlanta, and WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling going in the fifth round to Green Bay.

Stay up-to-date by visiting our USF football undrafted free agent signing tracker, where you will find out that the greatest player to ever wear the green and gold in QB Quinton Flowers was picked up by Cincinnati and many other Bulls received a call as well.

Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming.

No. 22 Baseball (29-15, 11-7 AAC)

The Bulls finished up their regular season home slate by taking two of three from the last-place Memphis Tigers over the weekend.

Friday night, ace Shane McClanahan made his usual start and racked up 13 K’s while third baseman David Villar crushed two homers to help the Bulls to a 4-2 win.

On Saturday afternoon, Tigers junior righty Jonathan Bowlan silenced the Bulls bats by mowing down 18 USF hitters via the strikeout, a new conference record. The Bulls actually led 2-0 in the fifth, but the Tigers scored eight unanswered on their way to an 8-2 victory to even the series.

In the rubber match, the Bulls only needed a three-run sixth inning to hang for a 3-2 win on Senior Day. Junior shortstop Coco Montes had the big two-run hit in the sixth and finished 2-for-5, before closer Andrew Perez sealed the deal in the ninth.

The Bulls finished with a 24-9 home record and have won 55 total games over the past two seasons at USF Baseball Stadium.

USF will have the week off for finals before finishing the regular season on the road, starting first with a midweek matchup at No. 1 Florida on May 8.

Softball (34-19, 12-6 AAC)

The first-place Bulls continued their winning ways over the weekend, taking two of three from C. at home in the War on I-4.

Redshirt junior Mia Fung kicked off the series in a big way on Friday night with a grand slam, and freshman ace Georgina Corrick struck out 12 to help the Bulls to 4-1 win.

Despite a seventh-inning rally, the Knights got even on Saturday with a 5-1 victory as the Bulls had quite a few runners thrown out on the bases...including two at home plate.

Sunday, the Bulls held on for a 2-1 win as Corrick was against fantastic and retired the first 15 C. batters she faced. Senior Astin Donovan picked up her 16th multi-hit game of the season and Samantha Worrell was a perfect 2-for-2 with the game-winning two-run hit.

USF can clinch the American Athletic Conference regular season title at home this weekend with a series win over Wichita State.

Notables:

• USF track and field posted four event victories and 12 additional top-five finishes at the UNF Invitational in Jacksonville on Friday
• Fresh off claiming the conference championship, USF men’s golf will find out their regional destination this week on NCAA Selection Show, Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. (TV: Golf Channel).