USF Athletics

Believing Bulls Bond Together, Roll Down Stretch of 2020 Season

April 02, 2020

By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer

TAMPA, APRIL 2, 2020 – With ace Georgina Corrick "doing Georgina things," and the Bulls believing in each other, USF softball was one of the hottest programs in the nation when the 2020 season came to an unexpected close.

After enduring an 0-6 start, the Bulls mowed down 16 of their next 19 opponents before the season was cut short for precautionary reasons due the COVID-19 pandemic.

"It was hard with the season coming to an end at the time that it did, understandably. Obviously, we're all dealing with this," interim head coach Jessica Moore said. "I think it was a difficult time, just because we were starting to kind of figure some stuff out together."

Although it lasted only 25 games, USF used the 2020 season to build lots of momentum for the future, even without getting to defend its 2019 regular-season title.

It all started in Clearwater, Fla., with 3-0 win over No. 17/19 Texas Tech on Feb. 15 and continued the next day with a 2-0 victory over No. 15 Georgia. Facing ranked opponents on the regular, the Bulls collected two more signature wins by defeating No. 12 Tennessee Feb. 22-23 at the USF Invitational.

Prior to those triumphs over the Lady Vols, Corrick (Sanford, Fla.) and freshman Vivian Ponn (Fort Myers, Fla.) combined to pitch USF's 27^th no-hitter in a 7-1 victory over Florida International that sparked an eight-game winning streak.

"We had really good pitching at times that would win us some games," Moore said. "Then, we would have some really, really good team wins, some 5-4, pull-togethers as a team. It was fun to see that happen."

Once the win streak was snapped, USF finished the season in stride with six wins in its final seven games. Corrick pitched her 10^th complete game of the season and AnaMarie Bruni (Schwenksville, Pa.) went 3-for-3 in the finale, a 1-0 home victory over Penn State on March 11.

All of that was accomplished with a new-look coaching staff led by Moore while Ken Eriksen was handling Team USA duties.

"I appreciate their faith in our leadership," said Moore of the team. "I don't think this season would have gone as smooth if we didn't have the group that we did."

USF's 2020 roster was guided by Bruni and four other seniors who could get a second swing at it.

On Monday, the NCAA Division I Council voted to allow schools to provide student-athletes in spring sports an additional season of competition and an extension of their period of eligibility. Learn more HERE.

"Everybody will see how it will affect their programs, or their institutions. I think that was a huge step, at least giving student-athletes an opportunity to do so," Moore said. "Opportunities are always great, and sometimes they're hard to come by, so it was really good to see the NCAA swayed a little bit more that way."

Corrick Leads Progressing Pitching Staff
Georgina Corrick was once again a true ace for USF's pitching staff that led all American Athletic Conference programs with 171 strikeouts in 2020.

"We had some really, really good pitching performances, obviously out of Georgina, and some people behind her were starting to figure it out," Moore said.

Corrick also had to adjust, and right away.

After earning NFCA Second Team All-America honors in 2019, the junior right-hander lasted just 2.1 innings in a season-opening loss to Illinois State on Feb. 6. Six outings later, Corrick pitched a complete-game shutout against No. 15 Georgia and finished the season with 12 straight victories.

By season's end, the two-time AAC Pitcher of the Year ranked 11^th nationally with 127 strikeouts after matching the school record with 18 Ks in a win over Wisconsin on March 7.

Corrick also tied for sixth in the NCAA in shutouts (5) and led the AAC in wins (12) and innings pitched (97.1). The Great Britain national team member finished second in the league in ERA (1.29) and fifth in opposing batting average (.185). Corrick also was a weapon at the plate, belting two homers out of the park, including a three-run shot that made the difference in a 5-3 win over Iowa State on March 8.

"To kind of get punched in the mouth and to see the way she responded to that, to me, that's the sign of a true competitor. She could have just crumbled after that first night in a sense and had a lot of self-doubt," Moore said. "Instead, she came back and just worked through it. That's what I appreciate about working with Georgina. She's more of a problem-solver than somebody who is going to sulk."

Brittany Hook was the definition of resiliency in 2020.

Pitching just 9.2 innings last season, the sophomore right-hander handled an increased role well (2.05 ERA in 13.2 IP) on top of dealing with the passing of her loving mother, Melissa.

Hook returned from her home state of Pennsylvania to strike out the final batter on three pitches and secure a 5-4 win over Texas A&M Corpus Christi on Feb. 28. Two appearances later, Hook started and picked up her first collegiate win with six solid innings of work against Detroit Mercy.

"She gave the team life when she was out there. You could see her passion and she was somebody our girls can look at and get some perspective from," Moore said. "We've always seen that out of Britt. This situation just exemplified it. I think she really found out what she was about through this difficult time."

USF found another dependable arm in Vivian Ponn, who gave the Bulls 23.2 innings over 11 appearances. The freshman from Fort Myers, Fla., earned her first win with 5.1 scoreless innings against Texas A&M Corpus Christi on Feb. 28.

"I was really, really proud of Viv and what she did as a freshman, coming in and competing at a high level," Moore said.

More Difference-Making Bulls Shine in 2020
Senior outfielder AnaMarie Bruni stole the show in 2020, leading the AAC with a .476 batting average and 39 hits along with ranking third with a .506 on-base percentage and 11 stolen bases.

"Ana had another really, really good start to her year," Moore said.

Bruni was part of a highly productive outfield trio also consisting of Meghan Sheehan and Brooke Leistl.

Sheehan, a sophomore from Forest Hill, Md., ranked second among the team's regular contributors with a .345 average through 55 at-bats (24 games). Leistl, a redshirt junior from nearby Valrico, Fla., finished with a .318 batting average in 66 plate appearances and produced the team's second-most hits (21).

"They gave us a lot of life offensively and put us in a position to produce some runs," Moore said. "I was really, really pleased with what they did."

USF was happy to congratulate its home run leaders with three apiece – juniors Bethaney Keen (Bradenton, Fla.), Madison Epperson (Tampa) and Aliyah Carter (Brownsburg, Ind.). Keen also tied for second in the AAC with 140 putouts through 25 starts at first base.

Senior Brooke Hartman (Port Orange, Fla.) finished as USF's RBI leader (12) and hit two homers while Dezarae Maldonado was USF's super utility player in the field. The sophomore from Winter Haven, Fla., gave the Bulls a big boost a third base, shortstop and second base in 19 games, all starts.

"She played three different positions after kind of getting some limited time as a freshman," Moore said. "She was one who had to figure it out from a defensive standpoint for us."

Moore Reflects on First Head Coaching Season
Placed in a sink-or-swim situation, Jessica Moore helped the Bulls make waves in her first season as a head coach.

Moore guided a team with eight freshmen and 16 underclassmen, made tough calls in pressure situations and continued to manage USF's pitchers like usual.

"I was ready for the opportunity as much as I could be, just based on the instincts I have. I've been taught by some really, really good people," she said. "My mentors have been some of the best and I just learned how grateful I was for the things I've been taught and the things I allowed myself to learn over the last six-seven years of coaching, plus my playing career."

Moore was entrusted with an interim HC title by one of her mentors, Ken Eriksen, who was preparing Team USA for an Olympic trip that's now scheduled for 2021.

"All I wanted to do was continue to make Ken proud with a program that he built," Moore said. "When you have someone who means that much to you, you try to make sure you can care of their baby, in a sense."

Moore always made sure to give credit to fellow staff members who helped steer the ship since the beginning of the season.

"Each one of us, in one way or another, had been part of the program, whether we had already coached at USF or played there," Moore said. "I think that was pretty special and I think that came down to where we were able to stay organized and understand what this was really about."

Tommy Santiago returned to the staff as a go-to assistant coach who previously helped USF capture the AAC's 2016 regular-season crown.

Former USF catcher Morgan Gross was promoted to an assistant coach role after serving as a grad assistant in 2019.

Kristen Wyckoff, a three-time all-region honoree for the Bulls from 2015-17, returned for her second season as a volunteer assistant coach. Meanwhile, Macy Cook, another former USF catcher, was the Bulls' new student assistant coach.

"Everybody's egos were put aside. Nobody was doing it for their own personal gain," Moore said. "It was like, 'Look, let's do this and do it the best that we can.'"
 
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 15 NCAA tournament appearances, including a trip to the Women's College World Series in 2012.