Date: Saturday, April 12 (1 p.m. & 3:15 p.m.) & Sunday, April 13 (1 p.m.)
Matchup: USF (29-11, 3-3 The American) vs. UCF (28-12, 5-1 The American)
Location: USF Softball Stadium (1,600)
Stream: BullsCast
Radio: BullsCast
Game Notes: USF, UCF
Follow: Live Stats | Twitter | Facebook
Tickets
TAMPA, APRIL 11, 2014 – The American's top two pitching staffs will go at it this weekend as the Bulls host in-state rival UCF for a three-game series at the USF Softball Stadium.
USF comes into the series looking to snap a three-game losing streak after being swept by Louisville last weekend. The Bulls will look to move up the conference standings as they currently sit in fourth with a 3-3 record.
The Knights are coming off a 1-0 win over Stetson on Wednesday night and are in second behind Houston in the American Athletic Conference standings with a 5-1 record. UCF swept Memphis in its opening series and took two of three from Rutgers last weekend. This will be the first road series for the Knights in conference play this season.
There should be plenty of strikeouts in this weekend's series as the Bulls and Knights rank first and second in the nation in total strikeouts. USF leads by one with 348 total strikeouts to 347 for UCF.
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SCOUTING UCF
UCF comes in with the top pitching staff in the conference, sporting a 1.53 ERA with opposing hitters batting only .197 against them. They lead the American with 15 shutouts and trail the Bulls by only one strikeout with 347.
The Knights have two talented pitchers in sophomore right-hander Shelby Turnier and junior righty Mackenzie Audas. Turnier leads the American and ranks 15th in the country with a 1.19 ERA while Audas is third in the conference in ERA (1.72) and wins (12) this season.
Offensively, UCF is led by Kahley Novak, who currently has a 14-game on-base streak and leads the conference with 49 hits this year.
ALL-TIME SERIES
The Bulls lead the all-time series, 9-2, including a 3-1 record at home against the Knights. The last time the two teams met USF defeated UCF, 1-0, in the 2012 NCAA Regional in Gainesville before going on to reach the program's first-ever Women's College World Series.
NOTES
» This will be the first meeting between the Bulls and Knights as conference opponents.
» The Bulls' pitching staff leads the nation in strikeouts with 348.
» USF is undefeated this season when scoring five or more runs (21-0).
» The Bulls are 25-3 when scoring first this season and 13-2 when scoring in the first inning.
» USF has eight players batting .300 or better and lead the American with a .304 team batting average.
» The Bulls have posted shutouts in nearly half of their wins this season and lead the American with 14 total.
» USF's pitching staff leads the American Athletic Conference in wins (29), strikeouts (348) and opponent batting average (.165). The Bulls also rank 20th in the country with a staff ERA of 1.88.
» USF ranks first in the American in batting average (.304) and home runs (32). They also rank second in hits (299), slugging percentage (.451), walks (124), stolen bases (50) and on-base percentage (.389).
» The Bulls have scored 46 runs in the fifth inning this season, which is 14 more than they have scored in any other inning.
» Sara Nevins currently ranks tied for ninth in the nation in strikeouts (189) and ranks in the top 15 in the following categories: Wins: 17 (T-13th), Hits Allowed/Game: 3.38 (7th), and Saves: 3 (T-15th).
» Nevins also ranks among the top five active career leaders in the country in the following categories: Saves: 20 (1st), Appearances: 174 (2nd), ERA: 1.32 (3rd), Strikeouts: 993 (5th) and Strikeouts/Game: 9.20 (4th).
» Nevins is second on USF's all-time wins list with 89 career victories. She needs only four more to pass Mo Triner for first all-time. She is also closing in on 1,000 career strikeouts, needing only seven more to join the exclusive club.
» Kourtney Salvarola needs just one home run to pass Holly Groves (33) for first all-time in USF history. Salvarola leads the conference and is currently tied for 23rd in the country with 11 homers this season.
» Salvarola also moved into fifth all-time on the USF runs list with 143. She is tied for fourth in the American with 31 this season and needs 15 more to become the program's career leader in that category.
» Kristen Wyckoff is 5th in the American with a .390 batting average and is batting .412 in her last 10 games.
» Ashli Goff needs one more stolen base to crack the top 10 in school history with 55.
» Ta'coia Williams needs one more home run to tie Stephanie Medina's freshman record of eight in a season.
MILESTONE WATCH
A couple of milestones are within reach for USF standouts Sara Nevins and Kourtney Salvarola this weekend.
Nevins needs only seven strikeouts to become only the fifth active pitcher to reach 1,000 career strikeouts and would be the first in program history to accomplish the feat.
Salvarola is one home run shy of breaking the school's career record of 33 set by Holly Groves back in 2004. The senior from Arnold, Md., tied the record with a solo shot in a 8-0 win against Connecticut back on March 23.
LAST TIME OUT
USF had a rough weekend in its last series, getting swept at home by Louisville. It marked the first time the Bulls had been swept in a conference series at home since 2010.
UP NEXT
Following this weekend's series the Bulls hit the road to face Houston for a three-game series next Friday and Saturday. The Cougars lead the American with a perfect 9-0 record. First pitch for Friday's doubleheader is set for 2 p.m. EST.
PROMOTIONS
Saturday: Postgame Autographs
Sunday: Military Appreciation Day (Get up to two free tickets with a valid military I.D.) / Sunday Run Day (All kids eighth grade and under can run the bases following the game)
- #GoBulls -
