Softball Payton Dixon pitching against ECU
Stephen Galvin/South Florida Athletics
1
ECU ECU 18-12, 5-4 AAC
5
Winner South Florida USF 28-9, 7-2 AAC
ECU ECU
18-12, 5-4 AAC
1
Final
5
South Florida USF
28-9, 7-2 AAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
ECU ECU 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 7 1
South Florida USF 1 0 1 1 1 1 X 5 10 1

W: Dixon, Payton (14-3) L: Kendall Frost (7-7) S: Sardja, Belle (5)

Game Recap: Softball | | Chad Smith

Strong Pitching and Timely Hitting Propels USF Softball to a Series Win Against ECU

Belle Sardja earned her fifth save of the season. She is now tied for eighth in the single-season ranks and is tied for fourth in career saves.

TAMPA, Fla., March 23, 2025 – The University of South Florida softball team earned its third American Athletic Conference series victory with a 5-1 win against East Carolina on Sunday. The Bulls (28-9, 7-2) utilized strong pitching and timely hitting to defeat the Pirates (18-12, 5-4) inside the USF Softball Stadium.
 
Payton Dixon got the start in the circle for the Bulls and picked up her 14th win of the season. She has 44 wins in her career, four wins shy of moving into a tie for ninth in the USF career wins list. She went 5.2 innings and struck out six batters. She gave up one earned run and had one walk.
 
Belle Sardja earned her fifth save of the season, which is tied for eighth in program history. She has 11 saves for her career, which is tied for fourth all-time at USF. She went 1.1 innings of relief. She surrendered one hit and had one strikeout.
 
Offensively, the Bulls recorded their 14th game with at least 10 or more hits. Josie Foreman, Alanah Rivera, Karhys Pierce, and DaNia Brooks all had two hits in the game. Five different Bulls scored a run, and four USF players recorded an RBI.
 
The Pirates had the bases loaded with one out in the top of the first inning, but Dixon got out of the inning unscathed.
 
Alexa Galligani started things for the Bulls in the bottom of the first with a single down the left field line. She used her speed to advance to third after a throwing error by the left fielder. Alex Wilkes ripped a hard one-hopper in the hole at shortstop that drove in Galligani.
In the top of the third inning, ECU got runners on first and second with one out. Dixon refocused and kept the Pirates off the scoreboard.
 
Wilkes drew a one-out walk to start the home half of the third inning. Foreman followed with a single through the left side. Rivera laced a 1-1 pitch down the left-field line for an RBI single. The Bulls took a 2-0 into the fourth inning.  
Brooks started the bottom of the fourth inning with a bunt single to the pitcher. Kathy Garcia-Soto dropped down a sac bunt that moved Brooks into scoring position. Olivia Elliott drove a ball to deep right-center, allowing Brooks to tag and advance to third. After Galligani was hit by a pitch, she intentionally got into a rundown, which allowed Brooks to steal home. The Bulls led 3-0 after four innings.
 
After Rivera singled up the middle with one out in the bottom of the fifth, Grace Rawn came into the game to pinch run. Rawn stole second and moved into scoring position. Pierce notched an RBI single to extend the USF lead to 4-0.
Chloe Geijer gave the Pirates their only run on a pinch-hit home run in the top of the sixth.  
 
The Bulls opened the home half of the sixth inning with back-to-back walks by Garcia-Soto and Elliott. Foreman gave South Florida a 5-1 lead with an RBI single.
 
Key Stats:
  • Payton Dixon picked up her 14th win of the season. She has 44 wins in her career, four wins shy of moving into a tie for ninth in the USF career wins list.
  • Olivia Elliott has reached base safely in 13 straight games with a walk in today's game.
  • DaNia Brooks extended her hitting streak to six games and has reached safely in seven straight.
  • Belle Sardja earned her fifth save of the season, which is tied for eighth in program history. She has 11 saves for her career, which is tied for fourth all-time at USF.
 
Notables:
  • South Florida recorded its 14th game with 10 or more hits.
  • The USF pitching staff has recorded six or more strikeouts in three straight games.
  • The Bulls have won all three-conference series this season.
 
Up Next:
The Bulls return to the road for another three-game conference series. South Florida makes the trip to Wichita State, with the first game coming on Friday, March 28. The Bulls and the Shockers are scheduled for a 7 p.m. ET first pitch on ESPN+.
 
Tickets:
Tickets to watch Bulls softball at the USF Softball Stadium may be purchased by calling 1-800-GoBulls or clicking HERE.
 
Follow us:
To stay up-to-date on the latest USF Softball news, follow the Bulls on social media (X / Facebook / Instagram).
 
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).
 
– #GoBulls –
 
 
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