Bulls travel to DeLand

SOFTBALL GAME TIMEUSF (22-11) at Canisius (5-4)When: Tonight, 5Where: Patricia Wilson FieldTV/Radio: None

Junior pitcher Cristi Ecks and the South Florida softball team will look to wash out the sour taste of a 1-0 loss two years ago to Canisius College (5-4) as both teams meet in DeLand for a doubleheader tonight.

Ecks pitched against the Golden Griffins as a freshman, striking out 12 batters and giving up four hits. She allowed the only run of the game.

Despite the loss, Ecks went on to complete the 2006 season leading the Bulls with a 1.15 earned run average, breaking three all-time school records as a freshman, and being named Big East co-rookie of the year.

The Bulls (22-11) go into tonight’s game with Ecks and Jojo Medina receiving Big East honors.

Ecks was named to the weekly honor roll Monday for the first time this season. Ecks recorded her third save of the year and an earned run average of 0.49 this past week.

Medina was named conference player of the week for her performance during the Spring Break Tournament.

The junior first baseman led the Bulls to a 6-2 record during the tournament with the highest batting average of the team. She hit .476 with two home runs and 11 runs batted in.

After tonight’s game, the Bulls enter a three-day, five-game stretch where their strength will be tested both physically and mentally.