USF to make 13th NCAA Tournament appearance in DeLand

TAMPA (FOX 13) - The No. 24 USF baseball team is headed to DeLand to make its 13th NCAA Tournament appearance.

It's not quite what they expected, but it was a welcomed surprise. 

"Yeah, we were just kind of thinking, you know, Gainesville or Tallahassee again," said third baseman David Villar. "But we're happy we got Stetson. Wherever we go, you know, we think we can win the game."

"Nothing against Stetson, I mean they're a really good team," said Peter Strzelecki, one of USF's starting pitchers. "We just feel confident going [and a] change of scenery is always good." 

For once, NCAA decision-makers didn't send the Bulls to Gainesville, where the top-ranked Gators reside.

"You know, we've been to Gainesville the last two times," said head coach Billy Mohl. "We're excited. Oklahoma State has a really good ball club, that's who we'll open up with. A BIG 12 opponent. We're excited." 

USF's postseason runs have stopped at the regional tournament in its past two NCAA Tournament appearances. This will be Mohl's fifth appearance in the regionals, but his first as the Bulls head coach.

"We've got a tough group of kids," he said. "We've got a real gritty bunch. We've got a bunch of fighters in our clubhouse and that's going to prepare us well for this week."

The Bulls came back after losing their first game of the AAC Tournament last week. They won three games and then fell in the conference semifinal.

Now, as they turn their attention to the NCAA Tournament Friday, the Bulls know they have the experience to get past this regional and into the super regional for the first time in over a decade.

"You know, it's a different ballgame," explained Villar. "Postseason time is crunch time. I struggled a little bit, we all struggled, you know, going up against the number one team and eventual national champions. But we've all got experience and we know how to handle it now." 

USF opens play against Oklahoma State Friday. The first pitch is at 1 p.m. in DeLand.