DeLAND, Fla. — Stetson Baseball returns home Tuesday night to open a busy week of action, hosting the South Florida Bulls at Melching Field at Conrad Park before heading back on the road for a three-game ASUN series against the West Georgia Wolves in Carrollton, Ga.
First pitch Tuesday is set for 6:30 p.m., while the weekend series at West Georgia will begin Friday at 6:00 p.m., followed by Saturday at 3:00 p.m. and Sunday at 12:00 p.m.
Stetson (15-24, 6-11 ASUN) enters the week looking to build momentum after closing its series at North Florida Ospreys with a 7-3 victory on Sunday. The Hatters bounced back with a complete performance, featuring timely hitting and a strong showing from the pitching staff.
Last Time Out
Stetson dropped a pair of tightly contested games to North Florida before responding in the series finale. The Hatters were edged 3-1 on Friday behind a dominant outing from James Hays, who struck out a career-high 11 batters, and fell 2-1 on Saturday in another one-run decision.
The Hatters answered Sunday, jumping out early and never trailing in a 7-3 win. Jack Harley's two-run home run highlighted the offense, while Connor Ball delivered 5.1 innings on the mound and the bullpen shut the door late.
Midweek Matchup: USF
Tuesday's matchup presents a strong test as Stetson hosts a South Florida Bulls baseball squad that enters with a 27-12 record, including a 7-6 mark on the road.
The Bulls defeated Stetson 12-4 earlier this season in Tampa, but the Hatters hold a 25-22 edge in the all-time series, including a 14-9 record in DeLand.
USF brings a balanced offensive attack, batting .288 as a team with four players recording 40 or more hits. Lance Trippel leads the way with a .341 average, 41 hits, 12 doubles, and 25 RBIs.
The Bulls are aggressive on the basepaths, leading the American Conference with 13 triples and adding 71 stolen bases, while maintaining strong defensive play and limiting strikeouts.
On the mound, USF owns a 3.88 ERA across 341 innings, striking out 301 batters while holding opponents to a .228 batting average.
Stetson is expected to start Brendan Walker (0-1, 3.09 ERA) in the midweek matchup, as the right-hander continues to provide stability in Tuesday roles.
ASUN Play: West Georgia
The Hatters return to conference play this weekend with a road series against the West Georgia Wolves baseball.
West Georgia enters the week at 11-29 overall and 8-10 in ASUN play. The Wolves are led offensively by Patrick McCullough, who is batting .380 with 62 hits, 11 doubles, and five home runs. Andon Lewis adds a power presence with nine home runs and a team-high 35 RBIs.
Both have been particularly dangerous in conference play, batting .459 and .382, respectively.
As a team, West Georgia is hitting .258 with 338 hits and 208 runs scored. On the mound, the Wolves hold a 5.91 ERA in ASUN play across 150.2 innings.
Stetson took two of three from West Georgia earlier this season in DeLand, marking its lone conference series win to date.
Projected Pitching
Stetson is expected to roll out Brendan Walker on Tuesday before turning to its weekend rotation in ASUN play.
SCOUTING THE HATTERS
Stetson is batting .242 as a team with 187 runs on 295 hits, including 79 extra-base hits and 21 home runs, while going 69-for-78 on stolen base attempts.
Juan De La Cruz continues to lead the offense, batting .325 with a .475 on-base percentage while leading the team in hits (41) and runs (30). He has reached base in 23 consecutive games and is 23-for-25 on stolen base attempts.
Landon Russell (.283) and Foster Apple (.264) continue to anchor the middle of the lineup, combining for 49 RBIs, while freshman Samuel Fernandez leads the team with six home runs with Yohann Dessureault, who homered on Sunday, follows suit with five.
On the mound, Stetson holds a 5.42 ERA with 294 strikeouts across 302.1 innings, led by Hays and Hartman at the top of the rotation.
Coverage & Tickets
Tuesday's game against USF will be streamed on ESPN+, with live stats available on GoHatters.com.
Fans can purchase tickets by visiting GoHatters.com/tickets, emailing HatterTickets@stetson.edu, or calling the Hatter Ticket Office.
For updates, behind-the-scenes content, and full coverage of Stetson Baseball, follow the Hatters on social media and visit GoHatters.com.
The weekend series at West Georgia will be streamed on UWGAthletics.com.
About Stetson Athletics
At Stetson University, student-athletes don't just compete—they thrive. Located in historic DeLand, Florida, between Orlando and Daytona Beach, Stetson offers the perfect blend of competitive athletics, academic excellence, and an unbeatable Central Florida lifestyle. As the oldest private university in the region, Stetson supports approximately 500 student-athletes across 19 NCAA Division I sports. Nicknamed the "Hatters" after the institution's namesake John B. Stetson, a hat manufacturer who originated the modern-day cowboy hat, most Stetson athletic teams compete in the Atlantic Sun Conference, where they proudly hold the longest active membership since 1985. With top-tier facilities, personalized support, and a welcoming campus community, Stetson is where students can grow, compete, and succeed. Learn more at GoHatters.com or follow social media accounts @StetsonHatters.
