USF Baseball: A Series That Got Away

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The USF Bulls baseball team played a three-game series against the UNC Greensboro Spartans. The two afternoon games were under cloudy but sunny days. When the clouds left, you could see the beautiful Florida sky. The Bulls came into the series with a blowout win over Maine 16-6. The crowd was good more USF fans but a few Spartans fans. In fact, after game two there was a little league team that took photos with the Spartans. UNC Greensboro has won the big weekend series. Before this one, they beat No. 1 Wake Forest Demon Deacons and No. 13 N.C. State Wolfpack. The whole series came down to the team that got runners on base and got them in.

Photo Credit: Bradley Walker NGSC Sports

In game two, the USF Bulls used a great start and timely hitting to a win. Jack Cebert won his second game of the 2024 season. He went six innings giving four hits, four strikeouts, one walk, and two runs. Only one of those four hits was an extra-base hit. USF had three home runs coming from Ben Rozenblum, Jackson Mayo, and Eric Snow. In the bottom of the fifth, Mayo and Snow went back-to-back solo home runs. Rozenblum hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth. That was the winning home run the Spartans had one run in the eighth and two more in the ninth but fell short. This was a close game that came down to the team that had the big hit winning the game.

In game three, backup quarterback Bryce Archie made his first collegiate start. He went three innings giving up three hits, three strikeouts, two walks, and two runs. The first three hitters that faced Archie struck out. Going into the fourth inning, the Bulls lead 4-3. The Spartans got three runs in the fourth, but the Bulls answered with a run of their own in the same inning. After that, Spartans pitching tightened it up. The Bulls never scored another run. That would open the door for their offense as they scored three runs in the final two innings. It started with a long and powerful home run by DH Caleb Cozart whose ball landed in the bushes at Corbett Stadium where the Bulls play soccer and lacrosse. The stadium is across the street from the baseball field.

Then, 2B Jacob Budzik got his homer in the ninth to add to the Spartans lead. The USF Bulls got some runners in the ninth and got Ben Rozenblum up to bat. Unfortunately, he was unable to get the two runners who were on base home to tie the game and force extras. The Bulls let this game get away. The home runs that they used in game two to win cost them in the final game. UNC Greensboro got the first and last game in the series and added another weekend series win. At the end of every game, there is a handshake line well there was an altercation. The two teams had to be separated but it seemed to calm down quickly. After the game, the kids were allowed to run the bases and get autographs from the players.

Did the USF Bulls let an early-season weekend series getaway? Leave a comment below.

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