TAMPA (March 7, 2018) –  The USF softball team (12-12) won its fifth straight game Wednesday night with a 9-0 walk-off victory in the fifth inning. Three Bulls had a perfect night at the plate, and junior Cheyenne Eggens fanned four in a quick, complete game shutout. 

The Bulls defeated the Pirates (10-8) with an incredible night on both sides of the field. Lindsey Devitt, Brooke Hartman and Samantha Worrell all hit home runs over the left field fence. Combined, they accounted for eight RBI in the 9-0 victory. Devitt (Jacksonville) sent a 2-RBI rocket past left field in the second inning. She now leads the team in home runs with four, while Hartman and Worrell each have three.

The Bulls scored runs in three of the game's five innings with twelve hits. USF took a 2-0 lead in the second inning and batted through the order in the third with six hits and three runs.  The Bulls did not let up in the fifth frame as Hartman (Port Orange, Fla.) led off sending a ball on top of the Bull's batting facilities on the first pitch, for one of the farthest home runs at the USF Softball Stadium this season. Devitt followed up with a double to right center, and Worrell (Oviedo, Fla.) sent up the third home run of the night for the walk-off win.  

Quotable
Lindsey Devitt on her performance…
"To be honest, I'm just seeing the ball really well. The past few games especially, I'm seeing the ball up front. See the ball, hit the ball."

Cheyenne Eggens on how the team is being successful together…
"The team is doing everything they can. They were getting hits when we needed them, and outs when they needed to. We just did everything as a team tonight, there was no one person thing. I knew I had my team behind me."

Cheyenne Eggens on two straight complete game shutouts…
"It feels good. I'm not changing anything, just trusting what I have and what coach Jess [Moore] has been telling me. I'm trusting all my pitchers and my team behind me."

Assistant Coach Laura Ricciardone on the team's performance…
"Our guys really had a plan when they went to the plate, and they stayed with that plan and didn't try to do too much. They were getting the barrel to the ball really well. Cheyenne Eggens had some incredible innings and brought back zeros for us. That's all we can ask our pitchers to do, just give us a shot."

Assistant Coach Laura Ricciardone on the five-game win streak…
"We are going game-to-game, practice-to-practice. Our guys are owning their plans and approaches and doing the little things."

Key Stat
3 – Three Bulls had perfect plate appearances against Seton Hall, and all three hit home runs over left field.

Notable

• Lindsey Devitt and Brooke Hartman each went 3-for-3, Worrell went 2-for-2.
• Devitt accounted for five RBI and leads the team with an incredible 21 so far this season.
• Hartman has now had two straight perfect games at the plate, and three in the last four games.
• Hartman has safely hit in seven at-bats straight and reached base in the last eight plate appearances.  
• Hartman has hit a home run in in three straight games.

Up Next 
USF softball will open the annual Under Armour Showcase at home and spend a day in Clearwater, Fla., as a part of the USF Series. The Bulls will take on Army and Villanova on Friday at the USF Softball Stadium, and Iona and Loyola-Chicago at Eddie C. Moore Softball Complex.

Fans can purchase season tickets for only $65 at USFBullsTix.com or by calling 1-800-Go-Bulls.
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.
 

– #GoBulls –