TAMPA, March 4, 2024 – The University of South Florida softball team (17-6) reached a program milestone of 1,500 wins, while head coach, Ken Eriksen reached 1,100 career wins on Monday night with a sweep over the Villanova Wildcats (8-11).
The Bulls reached milestone win No. 1,500 in the first game with a final score of 5-2. Eriksen reached career win No. 1,100 in game two with a final score of 5-1.
With the wins, South Florida becomes the first current member of the American Athletic Conference to reach 1,500 program wins. The next closest is East Carolina with 1,335 program wins.
Eriksen is now the seventh active Division I softball coach to reach 1,100 wins. He joins Patty Gasso (Oklahoma), Jo Evans (UC Santa Barbara), Patrick Murphy (Alabama), Karen Weekly (Tennessee), Bob Coolen (Hawaii), and Rhonda Revelle (Nebraska). He is the second active DI coach to have his career wins at one school. The other is Patty Gasso at Oklahoma.
GM 1 | Villanova 2, South Florida 5
The Bulls jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the second inning, highlighted by Kathy Garcia-Soto’s (Tampa) base-clearing triple. All nine of South Florida’s batters made a plate appearance Bailey Drapola (Brookfield, Ohio) and Alanah Rivera (St. Petersburg) started the inning with back-to-back singles.
Villanova score their two runs on a two-run home run in the top of the fifth inning.
The Wildcats threatened to keep the inning alive with runners in scoring position. A pop-fly to Jordyn Kadlub (Wesley Chapel) ended the game to give the Bulls their 1,500th program win.
Belle Sardja (Gibsonton) earned her 16th appearance of the season in the circle for the Bulls. She threw a three-hit complete game, her fourth complete game of the year.
Game 2 | Villanova 1, South Florida 5
Villanova took the early lead in the top half of the third inning with an RBI single to center field, but the Bulls answered in the fourth inning with two runs. A walk and a single put two runners on for South Florida.
Sam Mallinder (Plainfield, Ill.) singled to left field but got caught in a rundown long enough for two runners to score and give South Florida the 2-1 lead.
The Bulls added three more runs through the fifth and sixth innings. Olivia Elliott (Tampa) hit an RBI triple to increase the Bulls lead. Emma Humplik capped off the scoring in the sixth inning with a two-run home run over the left field wall.
Payton Dixon (Smyrna, Del.) pitched a two-hit complete game. It was her fourth complete game of the season. Dixon stuck out 10 batters.
Notables
- South Florida is the first current AAC softball program to reach 1,500 wins.
- Ken Eriksen is the seventh active DI head coach to reach 1,100 wins in his career.
- He is the second to hit the milestone at one school.
- Bulls pitching retired 15 batters.
- South Florida’s batters totaled 17 hits today.
- The Bulls are 9-1 in the last 10 games.
Up Next
South Florida will kick off American Athletic play this Friday through Sunday by welcoming AAC newcomers, the Charlotte 49ners.
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 17 NCAA tournament appearances, including a trip to the Women’s College World Series in 2012.
– #GoBulls –
