Bulls capture baseball opener

Posted Feb 17, 2012 by Joey Johnston

Updated Feb 17, 2012 at 09:01 PM

ST. PETERSBURG—The University of South Florida Bulls defeated Ohio State 5-3 in Friday’s baseball season opener, capturing the first game of the Big Ten-Big East Challenge at the Walter Fuller Baseball Complex.

It was a fine outing for two players returning from injuries. Todd Brazeal, coming off ACL surgery, went 4-for-4. Meanwhile, closer Ray Delphey, pitching for the first time since 2010, worked a scoreless ninth inning. He dropped in a wicked curve ball for a game-ending strikeout when the Buckeyes had the tying runs in scoring position. USF reliever Nick Gonzalez also boosted the effort with 3 2/3 scoreless innings.

Interesting twist: USF’s Daniel Rockhold wore uniform No. 63 in honor of the late Lee Roy Selmon, the former USF athletic director who died on Sept. 4. Each game, a USF baseball player will wear No. 63 to honor Selmon.