TAMPA, FLA., February 8, 2025- Sophomore
Jamia Nelson and first-year
Karhys Pierce led the University of South Florida softball team (3-1) to a 7-4 comeback win over the Georgia Southern Eagles (1-2) on Saturday night at the USF Softball Stadium.
The win is the second comeback win of the season for the Bulls, with the first being a 5-3 comeback win over Illinois State on Thursday.
Nelson and Pierce hit the first two home runs of the season for South Florida, each scoring two runs. For Pierce, it was her first home run of her career.
South Florida fell behind Georgia Southern, 3-0, after the first three and a half innings on a hit and a couple of errors by the Bulls.
After a single from Pierce, Nelson hit a two-run home run to left field to cut the Eagles' lead to one. With the bases loaded,
Alexa Galligani and
Alex Wilkes hit back-to-back singles for two more runs to score. The Bulls' five-run inning was capped off by a bases-loaded walk by
Josie Foreman to give South Florida the 5-3 lead.
Georgia Southern cut the lead to one in the fifth inning, but Pierce's two-run home run in the sixth was enough to seal the win for South Florida.
Payton Dixon and
Belle Sardja appeared in the circle, with Dixon earning her second start of the season. She pitched six innings, struck out three batters, and improved to a 2-0 record this season with the win. Sardja secured her first save of the season, pitching the final inning, striking out one, and holding the Eagles to no hits.
Notables
- Nelson hit the first home run of the season for South Florida and the second of her career.
- Nelson set a new career-high of two hits and two RBI.
- Pierce hit her first home run of her career.
- This is the second comeback win of the season for the Bulls.
- Olivia Elliott led the Bulls with three hits, going 3-for-4 for her second multi-hit performance this season.
- Elliott matched her career-high of three hits for the third time in her career.
- Five Bulls recorded an RBI.
Up Next
South Florida will conclude the USF-Rawlings Invitational by welcoming the No.3/2 Florida Gators. The game is set for 2:30 p.m. on ESPN+. South Florida fans are encouraged to show up early to claim the best seats.
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 28th 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 –
