TAMPA, FEB. 10, 2019 – USF softball's early lead against No. 5 Florida in the The USF Opening Weekend Invitational finale wasn't enough as the Gators came back, 7-1.
The Bulls led off the first inning with a bang when junior Anamarie Bruni (Schwenksville, Pa.) hit a double to left field, and senior
Lindsey Devitt (Jacksonville, Fla.) followed suit with an RBI double to right center, giving the Bulls a 1-0 advantage.
Florida answered in the top of the second inning with a solo shot to tie up the game. The teams stayed gridlocked until the fourth inning when Jaimie Hoover's grand slam put the Gators up, 5-1. Florida homered again in the seventh inning for two RBI to finish a 7-1 victory.
USF saw three pitchers against the Gators including seniors
Nicole Doyle (Aurora, Ohio) and
Cheyenne Eggens (Vienna, Ohio), as well as freshman
Brittany Hook (Willow Street, Pa.). Doyle pitched 18.1 total innings over the weekend including four in Sunday's finale. She started four of USF's five games and ended the invitational with a 1-3 record.
Quotable: Head coach Ken Eriksen on the weekend
Notable
- Redshirt sophomore Bethaney Keen led the team over the tournament weekend with five hits, two runs and two RBI including two home runs.
- Senior Nicole Doyle started four games for the Bulls and pitched a total of 18.1 innings over the weekend. She fanned 12 and held batters to a .168 average.
Up Next
The Bulls welcome the Japanese National Team on Monday at 6:00 p.m. at the USF softball stadium for an exhibition game. Purchase tickets
HERE.
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 12 NCAA tournament appearances, including a trip to the Women's College World Series in 2012.
– #GoBulls –
