Game-winning home run leads USF past Massachusetts Minutewomen
Massachusetts 1, USF 2
A night of freshman heroics helped lead the USF softball team to a 2-1 victory against the University of Massachusetts (10-11) in game two of a Monday night doubleheader.
With the game tied at one in the bottom of the sixth inning, freshman utility player Kendall Arnold hit a homerun to give the Bulls (22-11) a 2-1 lead. The solo homerun was Arnold’s first as a Bull.
“She got a good pitch and she jumped on it,” coach Ken Eriksen said. “For a freshman to do that in a clutch situation that can only be a confidence booster for her.”
Freshman pitcher Capri Catalano came in to relieve senior Courtney Mosch, allowing just one hit to finish the game, and her third save of the season.
A tough schedule of games over the past week caught up with the Bulls, who dropped their first game 2-0 against Massachusetts.
Junior pitcher Brandice Balschmiter proved to be more than the Bulls could handle, allowing three hits and 11 strikeouts.
“(Balschmiter) is an All-American. She’s phenomenal,” Eriksen said.
Junior pitcher Cristi Ecks gave up a triple, a double and a walk to give Massachusetts its two runs in the game. Sophomore pitcher Kristen Gordon came in relief for Ecks, and didn’t allow any hits for the remainder of the game.
“We didn’t meet the challenge tonight. We made some mistakes a little bit in the field defensively but those are things we’re only going to get better at,” Eriksen said
After splitting both games, Eriksen is confident that the Bulls will continue to battle as the season moves forward.
“I can’t guarantee that we’re going to win if you play hard. I can guarantee if you don’t play hard you’re not going to win an that’s been our motto all year,” Eriksen said.
More Stories
Meet the Team
Oracle EditorProfile
USF gives it away in Memphis 34-33
At the half, a 14-point lead meant USF was on track to win its first conference game in over a calendar year. That energy was kept up even with under five minutes to go when the Bulls were up 33-20. Then USF watched as its lead went from comfortable, to slim, to nonexistent in the […]
Club teams missing competition, friendship due to COVID-19
Under normal circumstances, Grant Nolder, president of the USF flag football team would be preparing for the club’s biggest competition of the year, the Swamp Bowl. The annual tournament, hosted at UF, typically takes place during the fall semester and features some of the best club flag football teams in the country. Winners of the […]
Bulls battle with ECU in OT win
Coach Brian Gregory said Tuesday the Bulls didn’t play complete, 40-minute games in their two losses last week. It’s debatable if they did Wednesday night against East Carolina (11-18, 5-11) at the Yuengling Center, but it was more than enough to put up a 73-68 overtime win. “It’s funny. There were stretches where we played […]
First SG scholarship rewards student leaders
Student Government (SG) launched the first-of-its-kind, merit-based scholarship to students Nov. 5 on USF’s Tampa campus. As a part of Student Body President Britney Deas and Student Body Vice President Travis McCloskey’s platform, Bull S.H.I.F.T., — Success, Health, Innovation, Finance and Tradition — the SG’s Student Leadership Scholarship consists of two merit-based scholarships which will […]
On-campus Jabil institute sparks anticipation from students
A plan drafted on a bar napkin two years ago has now become the USF Jabil Innovation Institute, a multi-million dollar institute combining the College of Engineering and the Muma College of Business. Senior Vice President of Advancement and CEO of the USF Foundation Joel Momberg and Jabil CEO Mark Mondello jotted the idea down […]