USF ATHLETICS GoUSFBulls.com
TAMPA, March 17, 2019 – USF softball closed out tournament play with a split day against FAMU and No. 21 Minnesota. The Bulls took down the rattlers, 7-3, but dropped a 3-0 decision to the Gophers.
USF 7, FAMU 3
FAMU (8-20) was first to get on the board with three runs in the first inning. The Rattlers got on base with a pair of hits and an intentional walk and scored three on a walk and a double.
USF (22-12) responded in the bottom of the frame with two runs. Junior AnaMarie Bruni singled to extend her hitting streak to 14 games and make it to first. Filla followed suit with a single back at the pitcher. Senior Macy Cook (Uniontown, Ohio) and freshman Megan Pierro (Lutz, Fla.) each hit an RBI single to cut into the deficit.
The Bulls tied it up in the bottom of the fourth inning when a walk and a hit-by-pitch put Pierro and Riley Gore (West Palm Beach, Fla.) on base, and Pierro scored when junior Brooke Hartman reached on an error by the shortstop.
USF took the lead in the sixth inning with four runs on three hits. Cook hit a solo shot to left center on the first pitch of the inning to give USF the lead for the first time in the game. Pierro drew a walk, stole second and scored on a fielder’s choice by Gore. Leistl entered the game for Gore, and advanced to second on a single by freshman Meghan Sheehan (Forest Hill, Md.). Both Leistl and Sheehan made it home when Bruni tripled to left center, giving the Bulls a 7-3 lead that they would never lose.
Senior Cheyenne Eggens (Vienna, Ohio) was the pitcher of record when the Bulls took the lead. She pitched 2 innings and struck out one with no walks to improve her record to 5-1.
Minnesota 3, USF 0
USF held Minnesota (19-8) at zero until the top of the third inning when a single and an error put runners on first and second, who both advanced on a groundout. With two outs, Minnesota hit a double to right center to score two, but the batter was thrown out while trying to advance to third. A homerun over the right field fence added to Minnesota’s lead, 3-0.
USF scattered three hits with Bruni, Bethaney Keen (Bradenton, Fla.) and Jaycie Michael (Mt. Dora, Fla.) each registering a single.
Eggens recorded the loss for the Bulls despite only giving up one earned run in the nonconference finale. She pitched a complete seven innings and didn’t walk a single batter.
Notable
- AnaMarie Bruni is on a 15-game hitting streak, and had her 13th multi-hit game against FAMU
- Macy Cook recorded her sixth multi-hit game and third multi-RBI game against the Rattlers
- Sunday’s doubleheader concluded a stretch of 34 games in 37 days for the Bulls
Up Next
USF opens conference play next weekend with a weekend series against Tulsa at home.
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 12 NCAA tournament appearances, including a trip to the Women’s College World Series in 2012.
– #GoBulls –
Erin Beck // USF Athletics
Assistant Director of Communications
W Soccer, Softball, M&W Tennis
ebeck@usf.edu // www.gousfbulls.com
