Rain cuts short doubleheader

The USF softball team hoped to play two more games before opening Big East play this weekend, but weather didnt quite cooperate.

USFs Wednesday doubleheader was cut in half thanks to lightning and heavy rain, which canceled the Bulls bout with North Texas after they beat the Hartford Hawks 7-1 in a slightly delayed game.

No. 22 USF had won 12 of its last 13 games coming in and stayed hot, tying the school record for best start to a season at 26-5.

Its great that we have that record, but were not going to let that change anything, coach Ken Eriksen said. Were just going to take things one moment at a time and just try to get better every day.

Freshman pitcher Sam Greiner got the start against the Hawks, pitching a complete game for the first time this year and allowing just one run and one hit.

First baseman Stephanie Medina lived up to her billing as USFs power hitter when she blasted a 3-1 pitch into the right field fence and saw it bounce over the wall for a two-run home run that broke the game open.

She works real hard every day, and the key for her is to persevere and get through the tough stretches, and youve seen that lately with Medina, Eriksen said.

After the completion of the first game, the Bulls faced a pair of 30-minute weather delays before the game was finally called off.

The Bulls now move into Big East play this Saturday, with a doubleheader against Rutgers at 2 p.m. to get their conference season started. USF will complete the three-game weekend series with a matinee game Sunday at 1 p.m.