TAMPA, Fla., February 21, 2025 – The University of South Florida softball team (10-4) fell to the Michigan Wolverines, 5-4, and the Wisconsin Badgers, 12-4, as the South Florida Showdown began on Friday at the USF Softball Stadium.
 
Game One | Michigan 5, South Florida 4
With two out in the first inning, South Florida got two runners on with a single and a walk. Alanah Rivera got the Bulls on the board with a two-RBI double, her seventh double of the season.
 
The Bulls would score again in the third inning off a two-run home run from Alex Wilkes, her second home run of the season.
 
Michigan tied the game at four in the fifth inning, earning six hits. Ella Stephenson hit the game-deciding home run in the top of the seventh.
 
Payton Dixon pitched her fourth complete game of the season. She struck out two batters.
 
Game Two | Wisconsin 12, South Florida 4
Wisconsin scored five runs off of four hits in the top of the first inning and forced the Bulls to the bullpen after two-thirds of an inning. The Badgers would plate two more runs on another three hits in the top of the second inning.
The Bulls got on the board with a solo home run to right field off the bat of Camille Ortiz-Martinez, her third of the season.
 
The Bulls' offensive spark carried into the bottom of the third, with Alanah Rivera delivering a two-out, two-RBI double to cut into the lead.
 
The Badgers, however, would respond with three runs in the top of the fourth inning to increase their lead to seven.
South Florida left the bases loaded in the bottom of the fourth, and Wisconsin scored a run to go up eight in the top of the fifth.
 
The Bulls temporarily took away the Badgers' run-rule hopes with a home run to right field by Alanah Rivera, her second of the season. However, Wisconsin would ultimately plate the game-deciding run in the top of the sixth.
 
Key Stats:

• Alex Wilkes has four multi-hit performances this season.
• Ortiz-Martinez leads the team with three home runs this season.
• Rivera recorded her fourth and fifth multi-RBI games of the season.

Notables:

• Dixon made her sixth start of the season and eighth overall appearance.
• Belle Sardja made her sixth start of the season and eighth overall appearance.
• Hannah Marien made her third appearance of the season in relief.
• Alex Wright made her first appearance of the season in relief.
• First-year McKenna Schroding made her collegiate debut.
• Game Two vs. Wisconsin was the longest game of the season so far (2:58)

Up Next:
South Florida will continue the South Florida Showdown tomorrow with a doubleheader against Louisville and Kent State. The Bulls and Cardinals will play at 1:30 p.m. South Florida and Kent State will close out the day at 8:30 p.m. Both games will streamed on ESPN+.
 
Tickets:
Tickets to watch Bulls softball at the USF Softball Stadium may be purchased by calling 1-800-GoBulls or clicking HERE.
 
About USF Softball
 The South Florida softball program has been one of the most successful on campus, making 17 NCAA tournament appearances, including a trip to the Women's College World Series in 2012. Under head coach Ken Eriksen, who enters his 28^th season in 2025 and has accumulated 1,117 wins, ranking seventh among active DI head softball coaches, USF has produced 10 NFCA All-Americans, two USA Softball Top 10 Player of the Year, and one NFCA Pitcher of the Year. In 2022, Georgina Corrick became the first player in softball history to earn the NCAA Pitching Triple Crown. She led the nation in ERA (0.51), Victories (37), and total strikeouts (418).
 
Be sure to follow USF softball on social media (X / Facebook / Instagram) and visit GoUSFBulls.com for the most up-to-date information.
– #GoBulls –