HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Zach Mueller is a fixture along the right field line before every USF baseball home game. Players constantly trot over to give him a hug and a fist bump before warm-ups.
"His name's Zach, but we go by 'Big Dog,'" joked pitcher Tanner Mink. "He's an awesome dude. It's good to see him. He's there every day. He sticks it out through every game. Win or loss, he's there for the long run."
"He's so passionate about the game of baseball in general. I can't tell you the last time I didn't see him down the right field line," said USF head coach Billy Mohl. "He loves baseball. He loves this team. It's a really cool thing to watch."
At almost every Bulls home game, Zach sits next to his father, Dennis.
"For me, this is it. This is something that pulls us together," Dennis said with a smile. "I just love coming here with him. I love his excitement. He's excited for the guys. He loves cheering them on."
Zach even has some advice for the Bulls' pitching staff from time to time. "Sometimes I'll say 'Strike 'em out!'"
Zach, 27, has a personal tradition of favorite players on the roster. His original favorite was outfielder Chris Chatfield, who wore number 24. Now every player who wears that number is the guy Zach pulls for the most. He even has his own #24 jersey.
Redshirt junior pitcher Tanner Mink is the current number 24 on the Bulls roster. He remembers the first time he saw Big Dog wearing his number.
"I saw him on the sidelines wearing number 24. So I had to go over there and introduce myself," Mink explained. "So I kinda took over the role of being with Big Dog and enjoying every moment of him."
Zach got the nickname Big Dog from one of his coaches at A League Of Their Own. Zach has Down syndrome, and A League of Their Own, which hosts its games in Tempe Terrace, lets young adults with special needs play the game they love.
"It's a big moment for those guys out there. We finally got the whole team out there," Mink added. "It was an awesome experience. All the players loved it. It was good stuff."
Mohl says he always takes pride in watching his squad bring happiness to others through community service. "We have a core group of our guys who have really taken those guys under their wing, and they love every second of it."
Whether playing or cheering, Zach is a Bull- through and through.
"He's in it through the thick and the thin," Mohl said during a pregame warm-up. "We could lose by 20, win by 20, and he's got a big old smile on his face because he's out at the yard getting watch his team play."
"It's great seeing him get excited about seeing these guys," Dennis added. "And it's great seeing them get excited about seeing him. He's here to support them just like they're here to support him."
The Bulls host the Tulane Green Wave this weekend at USF Baseball Stadium. First pitches on Friday and Saturday are set for 6:30 P.M. and 1 P.M., respectively.
The Big Dog will be there cheering on his favorite team if possible.
