A show from the offense in game one lead to a pitchers duel in game two
TAMPA, FLA. March 24, 2021 – The University of South Florida softball team swept its final doubleheader prior to the beginning of conference play. The Bulls defeated the North Florida Ospreys, winning 8-0 in six innings in game one and 4-1 in game two.
Alexis Johns (Sarasota, Fla.) led the Bulls at the plate, finishing 4-for-5 in the leadoff spot between both games, driving home four runs while scoring two. She also hit a double and stole two bases in the doubleheader. Georgina Corrick (Sanford, Fla.) started both games in the circle, and earned the complete-game victory in game two. Vivian Ponn (Fort Myers, Fla.) received the win in game one.
The Bulls extended their win streak to seven games with the pair of wins, including three run-rule victories in the last five games.
Game One – USF 8, UNF 0 (6)
The Bulls wasted no time starting their offense in game one. Brooke Hartman (Port Orange, Fla.) doubled home two runs and was driven home off a Kyndall Williams (Trenton, Fla.) double later in the inning to give USF a 3-0 lead.
The Bulls added to their lead in the third. Alanah Rivera (St. Petersburg, Fla.) singled home Alexis Buchman (Tampa, Fla.) then Johns singled home Emilee Hanlon (Dunkirk, N.Y.) to put USF up 5-0.
The Bulls walked off with the win in the sixth. Bethaney Keen (Bradenton, Fla.) tripled to score Ponn and AnaMarie Bruni (Schwenksville, Pa.) to give South Florida a 7-0 lead. Williams ended the game in the next at bat with a single that scored Keen to earn the run-rule victory.
Game Two – USF 2, UND 0
The Bulls kept up its offensive success in game two. Hartman started the scoring in the first by singling home Johns to give USF a 1-0 lead after one inning. The Bulls extended its lead to 3-0 in the second when Johns singled and drove home Hanlon and Megan Pierro (Lutz, Fla.).
Pitchers dueled after, with both facing the minimum in the third. USF broke through again in the fourth, with Johns doubling home Brooke Leistl (Valrico, Fla.) to extend the Bulls’ lead to 4-0.
The Ospreys attempted a comeback in the seventh. A pair of defensive miscues allowed a Rebecca Koskey to reach second, and she later scored on a single. Corrick shut the door on UNF two batters later, earning the complete-game victory.
Notables
- Bruni tied Samantha Ray (2003-06) for fifth on USF’s all-time stolen bases list. She stole two bases in the doubleheader, raising her career total to 75.
- The Bulls are 7-0 this season when scoring first.
- Williams, Keen and Hartman all tallied two RBIs in the first game.
Quotable
Head coach Ken Eriksen on the doubleheader…
“I thought the top of our lineup did a heck of a job. Alexis Johns established the pace of the game in the first game and got us off to a great start in game two then comes through with a clutch hit. When you’ve got that type of stuff at the top of the lineup that’s getting on and putting the pressure on the other team, especially in the first inning, you can win a lot of ball games. Alexis Johns worked so hard to get where she’s at right now. For Georgina to hold down zeros in the beginning of both games and give us that shot was a big deal too. A combination of offense and defense right now is working well for us.“
Up Next
USF opens conference play against Memphis at USF Softball Stadium. The Bulls will play a four-game set across three days, starting with a single game on Friday at 4 p.m. All four games will be broadcast on ESPN+. Due to virus mitigation measures and the size of the venue, fan attendance at USF Softball Stadium will be limited to team pass lists only.
About USF Softball
Be sure to follow USF softball on social media (Twitter / Facebook / Instagram) and visit GoUSFBulls.com for the most up-to-date information. The USF softball program has been one of the most successful on campus, making 15 NCAA tournament appearances, including a trip to the Women’s College World Series in 2012.
– #GoBulls –
