The University of South Florida Bulls baseball team opens its season by winning a series over the Illinois Fighting Illini 2-1 on Feb.15.
Game 1 – Under the lights, the Bulls put up nine runs in the series opener. Junior left fielder Jake Kulikowski got the scoring started in the bottom of the third with a single into right field, batting in two runners. Jevin Relaford matched a team high two RBI’s, hitting a triple in the seventh inning to push the lead to five.
On the mound, sophomore pitcher Nolan Bernard earned the victory, working three innings and striking out four. Freshman Dominic Pontbriant closed the game with three strong innings of relief, striking out five while allowing just one runner, the lone blemish coming on a walk and a hit-by-pitch to secure the save as the Bulls captured the first game of the season.
Game 2 – USF got on the board first in the third inning with an error by the Illini to allow junior center fielder Ryan Pruitt to score as senior third baseman Matt Rose reached first base.
The Bulls evened the game in the sixth. Rose delivered again, reaching on a fielder’s choice that brought Pruitt home to tie the game at 2-2. From there, both bullpens settled in and kept the score locked through regulation.
The deadlock finally broke in the 10th inning when senior catcher William Johannes hit a two-run home run to left, giving Illinois a 4-2 advantage that held as the final.
Game 3 – The Bulls fell into an early deficit but refused to fold. Illinois struck early with two runs in the first inning and added three more in the second to build a 5-2 lead. A solo home run in the fourth and a sacrifice fly later in the inning extended the Illini advantage to 7-2.
South Florida began its comeback in the fourth when junior infielder Nathan Earley doubled to right-center to drive in a run. The Bulls continued to chip away in the middle innings. In the sixth, Earley delivered again with a two-run double down the right-field line, and junior outfielder Jack Lutz followed with a sacrifice fly to tie the game at 7-7.
Illinois tied the game at 8-8 in the seventh on a two-run home run, but South Florida responded in the eighth. Sophomore infielder Bradke Lohry singled in a run, and junior outfielder Jake Kulikowski followed with a two-run double to left center to give the Bulls an 11-8 cushion.
Illinois cut the deficit to one in the ninth, but junior right-handed pitcher Landon O’Donnell recorded the final out to earn the save.
USF will take on North Dakota State University on Feb. 17 at Red McEwen Field.
