FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (May 17, 2026) – The University of South Florida softball team's championship season came to an end in the Fayetteville Regional final against No. 10 Arkansas. The Bulls (44-17) fell to the Razorbacks (45-11) 10-2.
South Florida finished the season with 40-plus wins for the 19th time under Head Coach
Ken Eriksen. The Bulls made their 19th NCAA regional appearance after winning their 10th conference championship under Eriksen. It is the second consecutive season the Bulls have won 44 games.
Alexa Galligani belted her sixth home run, ending her career on a seven-game hitting streak.
Alex Wilkes,
Kacey Wilkes, and
Jocelyn Wilkes became the first trio of sisters to play together in an NCAA regional game.
Brinli Bain recorded a one-out double in the bottom of the first inning for the Razorbacks. The next batter hit a line drive up the middle, and Garcia-Soto snagged it and dove to beat the runner back to second, completing the double play and ending the inning.
Wilkes led off the top of the second with a four-pitch walk.
Karhys Pierce and
DaNia Brooks recorded back-to-back infield singles, loading the bases for the Bulls with no outs.
Jamia Nelson grounded into a double play, but Wilkes scored from third. USF took a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the second.
Arkansas took a 4-1 lead into the top of the third inning after a four-run second inning.
Galligani led off the top of the fourth inning with a solo home run to right field. She cut the USF deficit to two, 4-2, as the game moved into the home half of the inning.
The Razorbacks extended their lead to 8-2, scoring four runs on four hits in the bottom of the fourth. Arkansas added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth and won the game 10-2 via a run-rule.
Carley Ernst started for the Bulls. She went 1 2/3 innings, allowing four earned runs.
McKenna Schroding tossed two innings in relief, allowing four runs.
Belle Sardja closed out the game with 1 2/3 innings of relief. She struck out one batter and allowed two runs.
Note-a-Bulls
•
Alexa Galligani belted her sixth home run and concluded her career on a seven-game hitting streak.
•
Alex Wilkes,
Kacey Wilkes, and
Jocelyn Wilkes became the first trio of sisters to play together in an NCAA regional game.
• South Florida finished the season with 40-plus wins for the 19th time under Head Coach
Ken Eriksen.
• The Bulls made their 19th NCAA regional appearance after securing their 10th conference championship under Eriksen.
Tickets:
Season tickets for the upcoming softball season are now available, starting at $65. Fans may also add a general admission baseball season ticket for an additional $25, providing access to all home baseball games. For more information or to purchase season tickets, visit the official website at gousfbulls.com or contact the ticket office at 1-800-Go-Bulls or click
HERE.
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About USF Softball
The South Florida softball program has been one of the most successful on campus, making 18 NCAA tournament appearances, including a trip to the Women's College World Series in 2012. Under head coach Ken Eriksen, who enters his 29th season in 2026 and has accumulated 1,171 wins, ranking seventh among active DI head softball coaches, USF has produced 10 NFCA All-Americans, two USA Softball Top 10 Players 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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