USF Baseball Begins 2012 Season with OSU

Game on.

The 2012 USF baseball season is finally here!  The Bulls, coming off of a disappointing 2011 season are hoping to make it back to the Big East tournament and beyond.  Their first test will be the powers of the Big Ten Conference coming to St. Pete/Clearwater for the  Big Ten/Big East Challenge (game scheduled to start at 10AM). 

The Bulls will take on Ohio State in the first game of the season.  The Buckeyes finished the 2011 season at 26-27 (13-11) including 7-7 at neutral sights.  The Buckeyes return a solid team that has a lot of power and solid pitching posing a great challenge to open the season.  Time to take a look at the OSU lineup and what they bring to the field. 

OSU returns star sophomore Josh Dezse (6-5 225-pounds - Sophomore). Dezse, who doubles as the OSU closer, hit .332 last year with 4 home runs, drove in 42 RBIs, and had a .472 SLG percentage (walked 27 times and struck out 47 times).   Junior 2nd baseman Ryan Cypret (5-9 180-pounds) returns (was co-captain last year) after hitting .323 with 3 home runs, 45 RBIs, and had a .400 OBP.

Sophomore outfielder Tim Wetzel (5-10 195-pounds) returns after hitting .278 last year with 21 RBIs (was 6 of 12 in steals as the lead off hitter) adding speed to the top of the lineup.  Junior catcher Greg Solomon (6-2 200-pounds) hit .273 last year with 2 home runs, 25 RBIs while walking just 4 times and striking out 42 times.   Senior outfielder David Corna (6-1 200-pounds) returns after hitting .264 with 2 home runs and 24 RBIs.  Finally junior 1st/3rd/DH Brad Hallberg (5-11 200-pounds) returns after hitting .254 with 1 home run and 14 RBIs. 

Returning to the pitching staff for OSU is junior RHP Brett McKinney (6-2 205-pounds).  He finished 2011 with a 2-0 record, a 3.68 ERA while working 29.1 innings (made 33 appearances).  Sophomore RHP Greg Greve (6-4 210-pounds) returns after a 3-3 season with a 5.00 ERA.  He worked 68.1 innings, allowing 87 hits, striking out 45 while walking 28 (opponents hit .314 against him).  Senior LHP Andrew Armstrong (6-1 185-pounds) finished 2011 with a 2-0 record, 3.68 ERA in 33 appearances.  He worked 29.1 innings, allowing 27 hits, walked 16, struck out 39 while allowing batters to hit .239 in relief appearances. 

It's the first game of the season and the first chance for the Bulls to get off to a great start to the season.  The Bulls had to face Florida at the start of last season, not the easiest task but taking on OSU to begin, this is a better chance to get win number one of the year.  Kyle Parker (0-3 last year) is slated to get the first start of the season so we will have to see what he can do in game one.