Bulls Open USF Series With USF-Clearwater Invitational
EVENT: USF Series // USF-Clearwater Invitational
USF SCHEDULE:
| Friday, Feb. 22 |
|
Saturday, Feb. 23 |
|
Sunday, Feb. 24 |
|
#13 South Carolina
(2 p.m.) |
WATCH |
MTSU
(3 p.m.)
Clearwater, Fla. |
STATS |
WMU
4 p.m. |
WATCH |
Ball State
(4:30 p.m.) |
WATCH |
Iowa
(5:30 p.m.)
Clearwater, Fla. |
STATS |
|
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LOCATION: Tampa, Fla.
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@USFSoftball
TICKETS
TAMPA, Feb. 28, 2019 – USF softball opens the 17
th year of the USF series with the USF-Clearwater Parks and Recreation Invitational. The Bulls will play three games at USF and two games at Eddie C. Moore in Clearwater, Fla., during the tournament, Friday through Sunday.
USF's first midweek doubleheader of the season was decreased to just one game on Wednesday night due to weather at the USF Softball Complex. The Bulls defeated FGCU 1-0 behind an impressive 12-strikeout performance by sophomore
Georgina Corrick (Sanford, Fla.). Junior
AnaMarie Bruni (Schwenksville, Pa.) extended her on-base streak to four games, opening the game with a bloop double, and added on an extra base after the ball was kicked into the FGCU dugout. Freshman
Megan Pierro (Lutz, Fla.) followed up with a sacrifice fly, for her fifth RBI of the season, and what would be the game-winner.
Scouting the Opponents
No. 13 South Carolina
The Gamecocks head to the Bay Area with a 12-2 record. South Carolina boasts four batters who are hitting over .400, including one over .500 in sophomore Jana Johns. Johns has started 13 games for USC and has gone 19-for-37 in that time (.514). The infielder leads the team in total bases with 40. Johns has four doubles, two triples and four home runs for a 1.114 slugging percentage. She has struck out just four times this season.
Five pitchers account for the Gamecocks' 12 wins this season, and Dixie Raley leads the way with an unblemished 4-0 record. Raley has registered a 2.33 ERA in seven appearances and 23 innings, holding batters to a .191 average.
Ball State
Ball State will visit the state of Florida for 10 days (11 games) as it heads to the USF-Clearwater Parks and Recreation Invitational and the JU/UNF Spring Break Classic next week.
The Cardinals are 11-5 this season after tournaments in Ft. Myers, Fla., Madiera Beach, Fla., and San Jose/Santa Clara, Calif. Stacy Payton leads the way offensively for the Cardinals, batting .311 in 16 appearances. Payton has gone 14-for-45 with 12 RBI and four runs.
Ball State looks to Aeshia Miles and Sarah Venker in the circle, the pair account for nine of the team's 11 wins. Venker is 5-0 this season and boasts a .89 ERA in 31.1 innings. She has limited batters to a .161 average.
MTSU
Middle Tennessee is 7-9 this season and will take on Penn, Bethune-Cookman and Iowa before facing the Bulls. Deja Portillo and Summer Burgess top the stats for the Blue Raiders, batting .400 and .393, respectively. Burgess has started all 16 games for MT and has eight runs and five RBI.
Four pitchers have starts for the Blue Raiders with Corrina Dodd holding the best record at 3-2. Amber Baldwin leads in ERA at 2.89 and opponent batting average at .197 in 18.2 innings.
Iowa
The Hawkeyes head to the USF Series with an 8-6 record after visiting the 2019 Tiger Classic, the Diamond 9 Citrus Blossom and the Dimond 9 Citrus Classic. Iowa will take on Western Michigan, Binghamton and Middle Tennessee before facing the Bulls.
Junior Donirae Mayhew has started all 14 games and boasts a .385 average (15-for-39). She's hit four doubles and two home runs and has batted in eight runners this season. The Hawkeyes look to Allison Doocy in the circle, a right-handed pitcher who owns a 6-2 record and a 1.69 ERA. The junior has pitched 58 innings and six complete games, limiting opponents to a .230 average.
Western Michigan
The Broncos return to Florida this season with an 0-5 record this season. WMU has participated in just one tournament so far this season, and will play 13 games in the Tampa Bay Area. The Broncos' top hitter, Mackenzie Swinehart, boasts a .529 average after going 9-for-17 in the team's opening tournament. Sydney Stefanick leads the team in strikeouts with nine, while Reilly Galloway has held teams to the lowest batting average of the pitching staff at .242.
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 –
