USF couldn’t overcome Gators’ offensive surge on opening day
TAMPA, FLA. Feb. 13, 2021 – The University of South Florida softball team fell to No. 6/7 Florida in both games of its season-opening doubleheader. The Gators rallied in the seventh to take game one, 6-3, and kept up the pressure in the second game to win, 15-0.
Brooke Hartman (Port Orange, Fla.) led the Bulls offense in the first game. The senior infielder doubled and scored in the second inning, batted in by Kyndall Williams (Trenton, Fla.). Hartman followed it up with USF’s first homerun of the season in the third inning.
Game One – UF 6, USF 3
Florida started off its season strong, plating three runs in the top of the first. Florida’s Jordan Matthews doubled home two runs and Julia Cottrill singled to drive home another to open the game.
Hartman started USF’s second inning with a double and Williams hit another double in the next at bat to score Hartman. One inning later, Hartman would tie the game with a two-run home run off Florida’s Natalie Lugo.
Florida earned the victory with three runs in the seventh. After back-to-back singles to open the inning, Florida’s Charla Echols doubled to drive home both runners to break the tie. Echols scored on the next at bat off a Cottrill single to extend Florida’s lead to 6-3.
Game Two – UF 15, USF 0 (5 Inn.)
Florida kept its offensive momentum moving into game two of the doubleheader. The Gators scored three runs in the first and never took their foot off the gas to earn a run-rule victory in five innings.
Notables
- Jordyn Kadlub (Wesley Chapel, Fla.), Josie Foreman (West Palm Beach, Fla.) and Alanah Rivera (St. Petersburg, Fla.) all earned their first collegiate start during the doubleheader. Maddie Gardner (Sun Prairie, Wis.) and Lexie Kopko (Stewartstown, Pa.) both also recorded their collegiate debuts, while Alexis Johns (Sarasota, Fla.) and Emilee Hanlon (Dunkirk, N.Y.) made their USF debuts.
- Georgina Corrick (Sanford, Fla.) tossed nine strikeouts in game one.
- AnaMarie Bruni (Schwenksville, Pa.) is now tied with Ashli Goff (2014) for eighth on USF’s all-time stolen bases list with 62 stolen bases a piece.
- Megan Pierro extended her on-base streak to seven games dating back to Detroit Mercy (March 4) last season.
Quotable
Head coach Ken Eriksen on opening the season…
“We were so excited to finally be on the field for competition. Overall, it was a good day with so many players getting opportunities.”
Up Next
The Bulls close out the weekend series tomorrow at 1 p.m. with a final game against Florida. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+. Due to virus mitigation measures and the size of the venue, USF will have limited fan attendance via team pass list only at USF Softball Stadium.
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 –
