Box Score TAMPA, FEB. 19, 2017 – The University of South Florida baseball team (2-1) scored three, first inning runs and received 5.0 scoreless innings from starting pitcher Peter Strzelecki in a 6-0 series-clinching victory over Iowa (1-2) on Sunday afternoon.
The Bulls leapt ahead of the Hawkeyes when senior designated hitter Luke Borders (Winter Haven, Fla.) plated two runs with a double down the right field line. Later in the inning, first baseman Anthony Gonnella (Riverview, Fla.) brought home Borders on a single to right field, putting Iowa in a 3-0 deficit.
USF added to the advantage in the second inning when infielder Coco Montes (Miami) hit a solo home run to center field.
Strzelecki (Lake Worth, Fla.) maintained the 4-0 edge by retiring the first eight batters he faced. In his first start following an injured 2016 season, the redshirt junior yielded just one hit in 5.0 scoreless innings. He also struck out six Hawkeye batters.
Following Strzelecki's outing, USF utilized four more scoreless innings from the bullpen plus an added run in the sixth and eighth innings to post the 6-0 win.
Key Stat
- Designated hitter Luke Borders (Winter Haven, Fla.) went 3-for-5 with three RBIs and a run scored.
Quotables
Head coach Mark Kingston on Strzelecki and the pitching staff shutting out Iowa:
“Our pitchers did exactly what we needed them to do today. It started with Pete, he had good command, his pitches had good life on them and he was tough to hit. The big thing was he had great poise in his first Division I start.”
Notables
- Infielder Kevin Merrell (Odessa, Fla.) walked four times in the contest, one shy of matching the program record (Johnny Raburn, 2/8/00).
- Gonnella recorded his first career hit and RBI in the opening inning.
- Montes hit his first home run of the season (third career).
- Pitchers Joe Cavallaro (2.0), Mark Savarese (1.0), and Andrew Perez (1.0) threw the final 4.0 innings.
- Outfielder Garrett Zech (Naples, Fla.) also had two hits and a run scored.
Up Next
USF will visit No. 5 Florida State on Tuesday at 4 p.m.
The Bulls return home to begin a four-game, three-day series with Miami (Ohio) on Friday at 6:30 p.m. Fans can purchase season tickets, flex plans and single-game tickets at USFBullsTix.com or by calling 1-800-Go-Bulls.
About USF Baseball
The University of South Florida baseball team is one of the fastest rising programs in the country. Under the guidance of first year head coach Mark Kingston, the Bulls reached the NCAA Regionals in 2015 for the first time in 13 years and USF followed that success with a consensus Top 10 recruiting class. Five players from that recruiting class were everyday starters in 2016 including outfielder Chris Chatfield (Riverview, Fla.), who led the team in home runs, and catcher Joe Genord (Lake Worth, Fla.), who was named the 2016 PGCBL Player of the Year. The USF Baseball program has won five conference titles and the Bulls have made 11 NCAA appearances. Follow the baseball team on social media (Twitter | Facebook | Instagram), visit GoUSFBulls.com for the most up-to-date information, and purchase tickets for upcoming games at USFBullsTix.com .
– #GoBulls –
