TOURNAMENT: Michele Smith Pediatric Cancer Foundation Tournament
USF SCHEDULE: Thursday vs. Wisconsin, 5 p.m. | Friday vs. Binghamton, 4 p.m. | Friday vs. JMU, 6:15 p.m. | Saturday vs. Hofstra, 4 p.m. | Saturday vs. Oklahoma State, 6:15 p.m
LOCATION: USF Softball Stadium (Thursday) | Eddie C. Moore Complex (Friday-Saturday)
TWITTER UPDATES: @USFSoftball
LIVE STATS
TAMPA (Feb. 15, 2017) – After opening the season 3-1 on its home field, the No. 20 USF softball team will travel down the road to Clearwater, Fla., for the Michele Smith Pediatric Cancer Foundation Tournament.
The three-day tournament will feature games against Wisconsin, Binghamton, Oklahoma State, Hofstra and No. 14/16 James Madison. The Bulls will face Wisconsin on Thursday, Feb. 16, at 5 p.m. at the USF Softball Stadium. Friday and Saturday’s games will take place at the Eddie C. Moore Complex in Clearwater.
USF got off to a hot start in 2017, compiling a 3-1 record, including a win over then No. 6 Michigan. The Bulls used three-straight comeback wins to start the season, before falling on Sunday to No. 4 Florida. Senior Kristen Wyckoff went 6-for-10 over the weekend and was named the American Athletic Conference Player of the Week.
THE REST OF THE FIELD
Wisconsin: The Badgers are the second Big 10 team the Bulls will have faced in two weeks. Wisconsin opened the season with a 4-0 record and wins over Northern Iowa, Nebraska Omaha, Toledo and Drake. Chloe Miller leads the team with a .615 average and eight hits. Kaitlyn Menz leads the pitching staff with three wins and a .37 ERA.
Binghamton: Binghamton is one of two schools opening their season at the Michele Smith Tournament. The Bearcats were 34-15 in 2016, led by a .441 average from Jessica Rutherford.
James Madison: A Super Regional team in 2016, James Madison is coming off a 3-1 weekend that saw the Dukes split a pair of games with No. 17 Missouri. Like USF, the Dukes opened with a 3-0 record, before falling in their final game of the weekend. Natalie Cutright currently leads the team with a .500 average. Returning pitcher Megan Good boasts a 0.00 ERA and a 2-0 record in 14 innings pitched.
Hofstra: Hofstra will begin its season in Clearwater. The Pride was 24-22 in 2016, led by Michaela Transue with a .364 average. The Pride hit .300 as a team in 2016 and held opponents to just a .270 average.
Oklahoma State: Out of the Big 12, Oklahoma State sits at 3-2 after opening the season at LSU. The Cowgirls picked up wins over McNeese State and Penn State, but dropped both of their matchups with host LSU. Rylee Bayless leads the Cowgirls with a .500 average after the first weekend.
QUICK HITTERS
- After opening the season ranked No. 24/25, the Bulls jumped up to No. 20 in both polls after the first weekend.
- Bethaney Keen’s first collegiate hit was a two-run walk-off home run to help USF to its first win of the season.
- Kassie Moeller hit her first career home run, a two-run pinch hit bomb, to help USF to a win over No.6 Michigan.
- Juli Weber hit an in-the-park home run against Michigan and is one of just two current USF players with an in-the-park homer in their careers.
- USF topped a ranked opponent for the first time since May of 2015 (No. 15 UCF).
The Bulls are 3-1 for the first time since 2013.
