USF drops first two of AAC play
Lee Ann Spivey knocked in her AAC-leading 42nd RBI in the Bulls’ 2-1 loss to the Cougars. ORACLE FILE PHOTO/ADAM MATHIEU
In the opening weekend of AAC play, USF was unable to keep the momentum it gained during non-conference games and dropped both games against Houston.
Bringing a March record of 16-1 into the weekend, USF’s offense had been a big reason for the team’s recent stretch of wins, as they were scoring an average of five runs per game.
USF was unable to generate these numbers Sunday and fell to the Cougars (16-16, 2-0) 4-2 and 2-1 in the doubleheader, which brought its season record to 28-10.
The Bulls were unable to take advantage of scoring opportunities in game one, including a bases-loaded opportunity in the fourth that brought no runs.
Houston didn’t waste any time capitalizing on USF’s lack of scoring and blew open a scoreless game with a four-run fifth inning.
Down 4-0 with two outs in the seventh, the Bulls began a furious comeback that would fall short.
Freshman Cassidy Boyle got the rally off with a single followed by a single by freshman Astin Donovan to put runners on first and third with senior Karla Claudio up to bat.
Claudio (7-2) blasted a two-run double and cut the deficit to two, but a long shot by sophomore Juli Weber was tracked down by Houston’s Katie St. Pierre and extinguished the comeback attempt.
Despite taking a no-hitter into the fifth, junior pitcher Erica Nunn (7-5) earned the loss — her fifth of the year.
Junior Lee Ann Spivey went 2-for-3 at the plate for her 11th multi-hit game of the season.
In their second attempt, USF had a similar chance to steal the win with a late rally, but once again fell short.
A single from freshman Mia Fung and a walk drawn by Claudio put two runners in scoring position down 2-1 in the seventh, but the Bulls were not able to bring the runs home to extend the game.
Senior Sam Greiner (8-3) earned the loss pitching 1 2/3 innings and gave up two earned runs.
Spivey extended her hitting streak to six games with an RBI double — her conference-leading 42nd RBI of the year — while Donovan’s 12-game hitting streak came to an end.
USF returns home to host its first conference series of the season against Tulsa (19-10, 3-0) beginning Saturday at 1 p.m. at the USF Softball Complex.
More Stories
USF campus ministers offer perspective on stadium development: ‘Exciting benefit of exposure.’
Take a tranquil stroll down Sycamore Drive. It’s a quieter part of campus, hidden away from the usual hustle and bustle of USF. It’s home to an area colloquially known as “Religious Row,” a collection of on-campus religious organizations. In just a few years – with the construction of an on-campus football stadium – the […]
Here’s why these USF softball players chose their jersey numbers
For athletes, the number they wear is more than the added fabric on the back of their jersey. It often tells a deeper story about the players — who they are and where they come from. Here’s why these three USF softball players chose their respective jersey numbers. Related: USF softball is gaining momentum during […]
USF football head coach Alex Golesh: The man behind the process
Football coach Alex Golesh said USF has been on his mind since his own days as a college student when the program was top five in the country. “I distinctly remember sitting there watching it and thinking ‘What is S Florida and what are they doing in the top five in the country?’” Golesh said. […]
USF baseball matches last season’s wins at midseason
USF baseball has reached its midseason, powering through a turnaround year. Despite losing to Florida Gulf Coast on Tuesday 7-5, It has already won 21 games, matching the same total from last season with a road victory against Tulane on Sunday. The Bulls (21-16, 7-5 AAC) stand third out of 10 teams in the conference. […]
USF men’s basketball was gutted by the transfer portal. Here’s who remains on the roster.
Things move pretty quickly in this new world of college basketball thanks in large part to the explosion of the transfer portal. Less than a month removed from a second round exit in the National Invitation Tournament, USF men’s basketball looks a lot different than it did in mid-March. In the span of a […]
USF softball is gaining momentum during season’s final stretch
As the USF softball season draws to a close, it seems the team has found some momentum. The Bulls (30-16, 9-9 AAC) have won six of its last seven games. In the last nine days, they have won their last two conference series and stunned the then-ranked No.9 Florida Gators on Wednesday. USF had yet […]