TAMPA, Fla. – The Bulls are getting to know ECU very well, aren’t they? After taking two of three from the Pirates at USF Baseball Stadium to close the regular season, Mitch Hannahs’ team will face them once again when the curtain rises on the American Athletic Conference tournament Tuesday.
The No. 3 seed Bulls and No. 6 seed ECU will be the last game on Tuesday’s schedule at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater. First pitch will be 47 minutes – yes, 47 – after the conclusion of the 4 p.m. game between Wichita State and Charlotte.
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While Mother Nature is not forecast to delay proceedings at any point Tuesday, it is inevitable at least one of the three earlier games will drag on. In other words, it is likely to be a very late night on N. Old Coachman Road.
Any complaints among the green and gold faithful, though, should be barely audible. After all, the Bulls did not even make the cut last season. (For the record, this season mirrors 2023 when the Bulls wrapped up the regular season at home against the Pirates before beginning the tournament against them. Six of USF’s final seven games that season were against ECU with the Bulls winning only once.)
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Hannahs arrived from Indiana State and laid out a clean canvas where each and every player had to earn their at-bats or mound appearances. A no-nonsense approach, much welcomed among returning players, has yielded a 29-23 mark that included 16-11 and a third-place finish in the American.
It is the first time since 2018 the Bulls concluded the regular season north of .500 in conference games and overall. In fact, the 16 AAC victories are the most in league play since current USF deputy athletics director Lelo Prado’s 2013 squad went 17-7 in the Big East.
All tournament games will be available on ESPN+.
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