TAMPA, Fla., April 17, 2025 –
Alanah Rivera delivered with a solo home run, while
Alexa Galligani,
DaNia Brooks, and
Olivia Elliott all finished with two hits in the University of South Florida softball team's series opener against Memphis. The Bulls (34-12-1, 13-5-1) recorded their second-straight game with 12 hits in the 10-4 victory against the Tigers (16-28, 4-15) inside the USF Softball Stadium on Thursday.
The Bulls improved to 31-0-1 when they outhit their opponents and 18-0-1 when they produced at least 10 hits. Florida Atlantic won against East Carolina, so South Florida remains 1.5 games out of first in the American Athletic Conference standings.
Rivera and Elliott extended their hitting streaks to six games. Galligani tied for a game-high three RBIs and extended her streak of reaching base safely to 12 games.
Alex Wilkes tied for a game-high three RBIs. Elliott and
Allana Consolazio tied for a game-high two runs scored.
Payton Dixon got the start in the circle for the Bulls. She went 2.0 innings. She surrendered four runs, but only one run was earned.
Belle Sardja picked up the win with 4.0 innings and improved to 13-4. She scattered two hits and struck out one batter.
Anne Long tossed a perfect inning in relief and tallied two strikeouts.
Elliott led off the bottom of the first inning with a double down the right-field line and advanced to third on a fielding error by the right fielder. Wilkes reached on a fielding error by the shortstop, which allowed Elliott to score from third.
Memphis took a 2-1 lead in the top of the second inning. The Tigers plated two runs on two hits and one USF error.
The Bulls were unfazed and answered in the home half of the second.
Jamia Nelson was hit by a pitch to start things for USF. Consolazio drew a four-pitch walk.
Kathy Garcia-Soto loaded the bases with a bunt single down the third-base line. Elliott tied the game with a sac fly to right field. Galligani put the Bulls back on top with a single through the left side. USF took a 3-2 lead into the third inning.
The Tigers recorded two runs on three hits with one USF error as they regained the lead, 4-3, in the top of the third inning.
South Florida erupted for four runs in the bottom of the third. Rivera belted a solo home run over the TV tower in left field. Consolazio produced an RBI single to left center, and Galligani notched a two-RBI single down the first-base line. USF took a 7-4 lead into the fourth inning.
In the fourth inning, Brooks reached on a fielding error by the shortstop that allowed
Josie Foreman to score from third. USF extended its lead to 8-4.
Garcia-Soto battled for an eight-pitch walk to lead off the bottom of the fifth. Elliott reached on a fielding error by the third baseman to give USF runners on first and second with one out. Galligani dropped down a perfect sac bunt and moved the runners up a base. Wilkes delivered a two-out single to left center that drove in two runs. South Florida took a 10-4 lead and kept Memphis off the scoreboard the remainder of the game.
Key Stats:
- The Bulls are 31-0-1 when they record more hits than their opponents.
- USF improved to 18-0-1 tally with at least 10 hits.
- Alanah Rivera hit her seventh home run of the season and ninth of her career.
Notables:
- Alexa Galligani has reached base safely in 12 straight games.
- Alanah Rivera and Olivia Elliott extended their hitting streaks to six games and have reached safely in six straight.
- DaNia Brooks tied a career-high with four assists at third base.
- Kathy Garcia-Soto tallied three assists, moving her season total to 105.
- With the home run by Alanah Rivera, USF has 43 home runs on the season. The Bulls are six games shy of tying the program record 49 set in 2016.
Up Next:
South Florida and Memphis return to the USF Softball Stadium on Friday for game two of the series. The first pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. on ESPN+ and Bulls Unlimited.
Tickets:
Tickets to watch Bulls softball at the USF Softball Stadium may be purchased by calling 1-800-GoBulls or clicking
HERE.
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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).
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#GoBulls –
