GREENVILLE, N.C., May 12, 2022 – The University of South Florida softball team will play Wichita State in the American Athletic Conference Tournament Semifinals after an 8-0 run-rule win over East Carolina in the first round on Thursday afternoon.
 
Vivian Ponn (Fort Myers, Fla.) led the way on offense, hitting the game-winning home run, going two-for-three on the afternoon. Dezarae Maldonado (Winter Haven, Fla.) went three-for-three with a home run, an RBI and two runs, while Meghan Sheehan (Forest Hill, Md.) ended two-for-three with a pair of RBIs.
 
Ponn started off USF's scoring in the second, sending a solo home run, her fifth of the year, over the wall in right-center.
 
The Bulls added more in the third, with Jordyn Kadlub (Wesley Chapel, Fla.), Maldonado and Alexis Johns (Sarasota, Fla.) all crossing the plate on a combination of aggressive baserunning and ECU errors.
 
Maldonado opened up USF's scoring in the fifth with her fifth home run of the season to make the score 5-0. Sheehan followed it up later in the inning by singling home Johns, then Ponn capped the fifth with an RBI single that scored Bailee Leistl (Valrico, Fla.).

Corrick took a perfect game into the sixth, giving up her first baserunner on a hit-by-pitch, then ECU got its first hit later in the inning to break up the no-hitter.
 
Leistl walked the Bulls off in the bottom of the sixth, driving home Lexie Kopko (Stewartstown, Pa.) to give the Bulls the win.
 
Corrick posted her 35^th win of the season and 20^th shutout effort while striking out eight.
 
Notables

• Johns stole three bases in the game, bringing her total on the season to 57.
• Both Ponn and Sheehan posted multi-RBI games with two each. Ponn now has five this season while Sheehan has eight.
• Johns drew three walks in the game, her second time this season that she's walked three times.
• Three of Maldonado's five home runs this season have been hit at ECU.
• Kadlub and Maldonado hit doubles in the game.
• Corrick surpassed 400 strikeouts this season in the win. She now sits at 402. 

 
Up Next
The Bulls battle Wichita State in the AAC Semifinals tomorrow at 3:30 p.m. USF won the regular-season series against the Shockers, who are the second seed in the tournament, taking two of three in April.
 
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 16 NCAA tournament appearances, including a trip to the Women's College World Series in 2012. 
– #GoBulls –