A wild final inning resulted in a walk-off win for the Gators
GAINESVILLE, Fla. May 21, 2021 – The University of South Florida softball team opened NCAA tournament regional play with a loss in a 1-0 thriller to host Florida. The Gators outlasted the Bulls in a pitching duel to take the win.
Georgina Corrick (Sanford, Fla.) held the No. 4 Gators, who averaged over five runs per game entering the NCAA tournament, to just one run on the day. Bethaney Keen (Bradenton, Fla.) led Bulls hitters by going one-for-three on the day.
Corrick and the USF defense fought through multiple jams. The Gators went 0-for-13 with runners in scoring position, one-for-six with two outs and stranded eight runners in the game.
After the Bulls forced Florida to strand two runners in scoring position to end the fifth and turned their second double play of the game in the bottom of the sixth, USF ‘s offense nearly broke through in the top of the seventh.
AnaMarie Bruni (Schwenksville, Pa.) reached on an error and was bunted to second by Kyndall Williams (Trenton, Fla.), giving South Florida its first runner in scoring position of the afternoon with only one out. Brooke Hartman (Port Orange, Fla.) walked to put runners on first and second and was pinch run for by Natalie Zweig (Tampa, Fla.).
Keen nearly drove a runner in with USF’s first hit of the day. The redshirt junior singled to center and Bruni tried to score from second, but was thrown out at the plate. The Gators ended up turning two on the play by throwing out Zweig trying to advance to third, ending the inning.
Florida clinched the win in its half of the seventh. Chyenne Lindsey singled to left to start the inning and scored in the next at bat, as Hannah Adams hit a walk-off double to center field.
Quotable
Head coach Ken Eriksen on Georgina’s effort in the circle…
“She was competitive. She was really, really competitive. She didn’t worry about what the situation was in respect of, there’s two people on and no one out. It was: what does the situation dictate, how do I feel I can get this person out, how do I feel I can pitch to this person to make her hit the ball to where I want it to go, and then, if you got to two strikes, how do I go for the kill? I saw her be an artist out there today. She really painted a heck of a picture in every situation.”
Notables
- USF moves to 27-32 all-time in the NCAA tournament and 12-11 in regionals played in Gainesville.
Up Next
The Bulls play in the first elimination game of the regional against the Baylor Bears tomorrow at 4:30 p.m. The winner then plays the loser of the South Alabama-Florida game at 7 p.m.
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 –
