USF Athletics

Bulls Set to Host USF Tournament

February 22, 2018

Tournament Schedule // Tickets
Location // Tampa // USF Softball Stadium
Follow // Twitter @USFSoftball // Live Stats
Giveaways //
Friday vs. Fordham - First 200 fans receive USF Softball Wristbands
Sunday vs. TBD - First 300 fans will receive a USF softball schedule Magnet

TAMPA (Feb. 22, 2018) – The USF softball team welcomes three to the USF Softball Stadium for the USF tournament, Feb. 23-25.
 
The Bulls will host Fordham, Drake and Bryant for the three-day round-robin style tournament. USF will face Fordham and Drake on Friday afternoon and Bryant on Saturday morning. After the USF-Bryant matchup, seeds will be set to determine the final four games of the weekend.
 
USF is coming off the Michele Smith tournament in Clearwater, Fla., where the team scored a total of 22 runs in five games. USF highlighted the weekend with a 5-1 win over Marshall on the first day of the tournament.
 
Eriksen's squad went to extra innings for the first time this season in the tournament finale against Missouri. The Bulls rallied in the fifth inning from a two-run deficit, striking five singles to score three and take the lead. Missouri was able to tie it up in the bottom of the sixth, and scored the go-ahead run in the eighth inning.
 
THE OPPONENT

Fordham (0-5): The Rams suffered a 0-5 setback to kick off the season after facing three opponents raked in the top 25, and one receiving votes. Fordham gained international experience with an exhibition game against Team Japan during its first weekend of play.
 
Freshman Paige Rauch leads the Rams with a .308 average in 13 at-bats with four hits and a .438 on base percentage. Four pitchers have seen action for Fodham, led by Lauren Quense who has tossed a total of six strikeouts in 16 innings pitched.
 
The Bulls lead the all-time series, 4-3, over Fordham. In their last meeting, the rams fell to the Bulls, 11-2, in 2016. USF will open the tournament with Fordham at 2 p.m. on Friday.
 
Drake (6-3): The Bulldogs have appeared in two tournaments this season including the UNI Dome tournament in Cedar Falls, Iowa, and the February Freeze in Starkville, Miss. The team will enjoy warmer weather for the first time this season when the visit Tampa.
 
Mandi Roemmich has started every game this season and leads Drake with a .429 average. Pitcher Nicole Newman is undefeated (4-0) with 33 strikeouts after 20 innings pitched. The redshirt junior hasn't allowed a single run this season and has been named the Missouri Valley Pitcher of the Week for two straight weeks.
 
Drake leads the all-time series over USF, 3-2. The Bulls and Bulldogs met in Tampa in 2010 for a doubleheader. Drake swept USF, 4-3 and 4-0. USF will face Drake at 4:15 p.m. on Friday.
 
Bryant (1-3): The Bulldogs spent their first week of play in Arizona for the Hillenbrand Invitational. They suffered three losses, but defeated ULM, 6-4, on the second day of the tournament. Robyn Ukegawa leads Bryant with a 2.86 average and a .375 on base percentage. 
 
This will be the first meeting between USF and Bryant. USF will take on Bryant for its first game Saturday morning at 11:15 p.m.
 
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 12 NCAA tournament appearances, including a trip to the Women's College World Series in 2012.