USF ATHLETICS GoUSFBulls.com
TAMPA, March 14, 2019 – USF clawed back from a deficit twice against Purdue in a 4-3 ninth-inning win at USF Softball Stadium on Thursday night. The Boilermakers took a 2-0 lead in the first inning, and a 3-2 lead in the ninth before USF scored two runs for the win.
Purdue (17-8) took an early lead over the Bulls (20-10) when a batter walked and one was hit by a pitch, both runners advanced on a wild pitch and scored on a single to left field for a 2-0 lead.
USF responded in the bottom of the third inning when freshman AnaMarie Bruni extended her hitting streak to 11 games with a bunt single. She stole second, advanced to third on a groundout and scored on a single to centerfield by redshirt sophomore Bethaney Keen (Bradenton, Fla.) to cut into the Boilermaker’s lead, 2-1.
In the bottom of the seventh inning the Bulls tied it up, 2-2. Senior Lindsey Devitt (Jacksonville, Fla.) singled through the left side, and Bruni hit an RBI double that bounced over the fence in right center.
Purdue took the lead again in the top of the ninth with a solo homer over the left field fence, but USF got another chance in the bottom of the inning. Freshman Meghan Sheehan (Forest Hill, Md.) drew a walk to lead off the bottom of the frame, and senior Lindsey Devitt singled through the left side with no outs. Sheehan scored on an RBI double by Bruni, and Devitt made it to third. Freshman Megan Pierro (Lutz, Fla.) hit an RBI single for the game-winner in her second extra-inning, walk-off hit this week.
Also for the second time this week, senior Nicole Doyle (Aurora, Ohio) pitched in extra innings. Doyle stayed in the circle until the top of the ninth where senior Cheyenne Eggens (Vienna, Ohio) took over for the final inning. Doyle limited the Boilermakers to just four hits in eight innings and only walked two batters. Eggens entered for the final inning and recorded her third win of the season (3-1).
Key Stat
11 – Bruni extended her hitting streak to 11 games, and leads the team with 11 multi-hit games this season
Notable
- USF went into extra innings for the second time this week, both ending in a Bulls Victory
- Nicole Doyle and Megan Pierro were both instrumental in USF’s walk-off wins with Doyle pitching eight innings in each contest and Pierro scoring the game-winning RBI in both
- Both Lindsey Devitt and AnaMarie Bruni went 3-for-5
- Two of Bruni’s three hits were doubles, including one that bounced over the fence
- Pierro’s single was USF’s 200th hit this season
- USF scattered 10 hits in the win, hitting in double digits for the ninth time this season
- USF has out-hit opponents 200-156 this season
Up Next
USF will face No. 21/21 Minnesota, Butler and FAMU for games on Friday and Sunday in the USF-Michele Smith Pediatric Cancer Invitational.
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
