USF clinches third-consecutive regular season title with series win over UCF
MATCHUP: USF at UCF
WHEN: Friday, May 7 at 6 p.m.; Saturday, May 8 Doubleheader starting at 2 p.m.; Sunday, May 9 at 12 p.m.
WHERE: Orlando, Fla.
TWITTER UPDATES: @USFSoftball
TAMPA, Fla. May 6, 2021 – The University of South Florida closes out its regular season slate with a four-game set in the War On I-4 against UCF in Orlando. By winning at least three out of the remaining four games, USF would clinch its third consecutive regular season title in the American Athletic Conference.
The Bulls are coming off a historic weekend to close out its regular-season home slate. On Friday, Georgina Corrick’s (Sanford, Fla.) no-hitter earned Ken Eriksen his 1,000th win as head coach. One of only 28 NCAA D-I head coaches to complete the feat, Eriksen is one of two to do it all at a university in Florida. Corrick followed up her huge outing with a second consecutive no-hitter, the first time a USF pitcher has thrown no-nos in back-to-back appearances. The Bulls ultimately won the series, taking three out of four from the ECU Pirates.
Georgina Corrick earned her seventh conference pitcher of the week award and was also named the Wilson/NFCA National Pitcher of the Week for the second consecutive week for her efforts during the weekend.
USF leads the all-time series against the Knights, 18-12. The Bulls won the last meeting, sweeping a three-game series in 2019. UCF’s last win game in 2018, a 5-1 victory in Tampa. The last series win for the Knights came in 2017.
Opponent
UCF, now 34-15-1 on the season and 13-6-1 in conference play, in coming off being swept by Ole Miss in Oxford, Miss. last weekend. Prior to the non-conference sweep, UCF had swept Memphis and was nearly swept by Wichita State, but earned a tie to close the weekend at 0-3-1 against the Shockers.
On offense, Jazmin Esparza leads the Knights with a .375 batting average in 136 at bats, adding 38 RBIs and seven homers to her totals. In the circle, Alea White and Gianna Mancha have handled the bulk of the innings for UCF this season. In 156.1 innings, White has tossed a 1.75 ERA with a 17-5 record while Mancha has a 2.39 ERA in 123 innings and a 12-5 record.
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 –
