Softball hosts another tourney

The USF softball team hosts the USF Best Western Tournament this weekend at the USF softball complex, the fourth of seven tournaments for the Bulls this season.

USF is coming off a 2-1 record in the USF-Wilson Tournament, capped by Leigh Ann Ellis’s one-hit shutout against Hofstra on Sunday. The Bulls’ (10-2) lone loss in the tournament came against Michigan State, which snapped USF’s seven-game winning streak and also was the first home tournament loss in two years.

USF will begin the tournament against Rhode Island today at 2:30, then plays Pittsburgh at 4:30. USF defeated URI 7-1 last season.

The Bulls then play North Carolina State on Saturday and will follow it up with a game against an opponent to be announced on Sunday. It will be the first meeting between the two teams.

Bulls change schedule

The USF football team will now open the 2004 season at home against future Big East foe Pittsburgh rather than against Division I-AA Tennessee Tech.

The Bulls will host the Panthers at Raymond James Stadium on Sept. 4. USF then will play Tennessee Tech on Sept. 11, before traveling to South Carolina on Sept. 18.

“The Big East asked us to consider assisting Pittsburgh with its schedule by moving our game to Sept. 4,” USF Senior Associate Director of Athletics Barbara Sparks-McGlinchy said. “In speaking with Coach (Jim) Leavitt, it was a move we were willing to make, and we appreciate the cooperation from Tennessee Tech to move their game to Sept. 11.

“With our move to the Big East in 2005, we’re excited to give our fans a preview of things to come by opening our 2004 season against one of our future Big East partners.”

Compiled by Adam Adkins