Georgina Corrick had a complete game, 10-strikeout performance against Ball State on Friday. ORACLE FILE PHOTO/BRIAN HATTAB

USF softball (10-8) split a doubleheader Friday at the USF Softball Stadium, losing 8-1 against No. 13 South Carolina and finishing the day with a 5-2 win against Ball State.

Bulls unable to tame Gamecock offense in Game 1

The Gamecocks’ offense exploded throughout the entire game — South Carolina (14-2) scored five runs within the first four innings. Alyssa Kumiyama completed the scoring for South Carolina with a pinch-hit three-run homer in the seventh, the team’s third homer of the day.

“It just seemed like the ball really exploded off their bats today for some reason,” coach Ken Eriksen said. “They either have dynamite in their hands or dynamite in their bats.”  

USF’s offense was unable to do much against the Gamecocks — the Bulls only recorded three hits. The Bulls’ lone run came in the bottom of the first inning when Macy Cook drove in AnaMarie Bruni with an RBI single.

Cheyenne Eggens started, giving up three runs on five hits in 1.1 innings. Nicole Doyle replaced Eggens, giving up 2 runs and four hits in 3.2 innings.   

South Carolina’s pitcher, Dixie Raley, threw a complete game, allowing one run on three hits with four strikeouts.  

Despite the loss, USF never feared its opposition.

“We came out and we didn’t fear a name which is always super important,” sophomore pitcher Georgina Corrick said. “We really came out and we gave them a good shot … it didn’t matter who was pitching against us or who was batting — we came out and did what USF softball does, which is compete.”

Bulls bounce back against Ball State in Game 2

USF bounced right back, defeating Ball State 5-2 in Game 2 of the doubleheader.

Corrick pitched a complete-game against the Cardinals (11-7), striking out 10 and walking two. Corrick’s double-digit performance was her second time this season and seventh in her career.

“If I’m able to dominate in the circle that way and get easier outs in a sense, it always helps the team and boost team morale,” Corrick said.   

The big blow of the game came from Macy Cook in the fifth. Cook hit a two-run homer, driving in Bethaney Keen in the process. Cook’s homer, her first of the season, made the score 4-0.

“In the dugout, Macy turned to me and she said, ‘I’m going to hit a dinger,’ and I thought yeah, for sure you are,” Corrick said. “For her to actually go out there and to be stubborn in that sense that she knew what the pitcher was throwing.”

Cook finished Game 2 with three RBIs, driving in a run in the third inning after being hit by a pitch. Keen and Meghan Sheehan added the Bulls’ other two RBIs with a walk in the third and a single up the middle respectively.

Up next for the Bulls is a trip across the Courtney Campbell Causeway to face Middle Tennessee at 3 p.m. and Iowa at 5:30 p.m. at the Eddie C. Moore Softball Complex in Clearwater.