Bulls down Tigers 8-0 in six innings in first of weekend series
TAMPA, FLA. Mar. 26, 2021 – The University of South Florida softball team kicked off its conference schedule with an 8-0, six-inning run-rule victory over Memphis.
Georgina Corrick (Sanford, Fla.) earned the complete-game shutout, tallying 11 strikeouts while only allowing one hit. AnaMarie Bruni (Schwenksville, Pa.) went 2-for-3 at the plate with two RBIs, a run and a triple.
USF opened the scoring in the bottom of the first. Brooke Hartman (Port Orange, Fla.) hit a sac-fly that scored Alexis Johns (Sarasota, Fla.) to give the Bulls a 1-0 lead.
After walking the first batter in the first and third innings, Corrick would come back to strike out the side on both occasions. Overall, the Great Britain National Team member would tally seven strikeouts through the first three innings.
USF added to its lead in the bottom of the fourth with a four-run two-out rally. The rally started with a double from Josie Foreman (West Palm Beach, Fla.). Alanah Rivera (St. Petersburg, Fla.) was hit by a pitch in the next at-bat, and then Megan Pierro (Lutz, Fla.) singled home Foreman and advanced Rivera to third. Johns grounded into a fielder’s choice, allowing Rivera to score while Pierro was held at second. After a double-steal, Pierro and Johns scored on a triple from Bruni, pushing the score to 5-0.
Two innings later, the Bulls completed the run-rule win. With Pierro on base, Bruni singled and Pierro scored on an error on the play. Hartman then grounded into a fielder’s choice, allowing Bruni to score. After Corrick bunted Hartman into scoring position, Bethaney Keen (Bradenton, Fla.) drove her home on a single to second base, giving USF the 8-0 victory.
Notables
- Corrick threw USF’s first one-hitter since she completed the task in the 2019 American Athletic Conference Tournament, also against Memphis.
- Pierro stole three bases in the game, the first time a Bull swiped three since Astin Donovan against Elon in 2018.
Quotable
Assistant Coach Tommy Santiago on the win…
“We executed well in every aspect of the game: running, hitting, fielding and pitching. Our baserunning in particular was huge for us today. Our ability to move runners over was great. Our execution with two outs in the fourth inning was really what separated the game and gave us the win. It spread the game out and allowed us to seal the win in the sixth. Really, it was just a solid performance all-around and we’ll look to keep it consistent throughout the weekend.”
Up Next
The Bulls continue the weekend series at USF Softball Stadium on Saturday for a doubleheader against Memphis. The first game will begin at 2:00 PM. Both games 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 –
