USF Softball Heads to Clearwater for NFCA Tournament

Stephanie Medina and the USF ladies return to the field for another big tournament. (Picture: USF Oracle)

The USF softball team, off to a hot 6-1 start to the season, begins another key tournament (NFCA Tournament) in Clearwater this weekend, putting the Bulls against another tough slate of opponents.  USF is hoping to keep the winning trend going, but it won't be easy.

For the first day of the tournament, USF will face Illinois (at 3:30PM) and Mississippi State (6PM).

Illinois is 3-5 on the year, but has faced some tough opponents already, including #25 Louisville and #10 Tennessee (dropped both games).

The Illini are led by senior infielder Meredith Hackett (5-11).  She is batting .400 with 2 home runs and 6 RBIs this season.  Senior infielder Danielle Vaji (5-7) is batting .333 with one steal to open the year.  Freshman utility player Jess Perkins (5-8) is batting .304 with 3 RBIs.  Junior infielder Jessica Davis (5-7) is batting .250 with one home run and has driven in 4 runs.

Junior RHP Pepper Gay (5-7) is 2-1 on the season (1.38 ERA) while working 25.1 innings, allowing 15 hits, 2 walks, and has struck out 28 batters (.170 batting average against her).  Fellow junior RHP Jackie Guy is 1-4 on the season (4.70 ERA).  She has pitched 22.1 innings, allowing 5 walks while striking out 21 batters (.261 batting average against her).

The Illini have a solid time and a strong rotation, but USF should have the upper hand in this game with their deep lineup and stronger rotation with Richardson and Greiner on fire right now. USF should win this first game.

In the second game, USF faces another tough opponent in Mississippi State (game slated for 6PM, could be delayed slightly by the end time of the first game or even weather). The lady Bulldogs are 7-1 this season (they face Louisiana-Lafayette in the first game of the day - note the stats below do not include the stats from their first game).

MSU is led by junior infielder/catcher Chrissie Rovtar (5-10) who is batting a crazy .750 with 3 RBIs to start the season.  Senior outfielder Brittany Bell (5-2) is batting .550 with 4 home runs and 9 RBIs already.  Senior outfielder Brittany Gates (5-3 is batting .667 (another hot bat in their lineup).  Junior first baseman/outfielder Shelby Fisher (5-7) is batting .391 with 1 home run and 6 RBIs.  Catcher/1st baseman Sam Lenaham is batting .333 with  1 home run and 6 RBIs as well to round out a powerful lineup the Bulls have to face.

The Bulls will have to contend with junior LHP Kyle Vry (5-10) on the season. Vry is 3-0 with a .81 ERA and has 2 saves.  She has pitched 26 innings so far, allowing 12 hits, 5 walks, and has struck out 32 batters.  Fellow junior LHP Stephanie Becker (6-0) is 3-0 as well on the year with a 1.33 ERA.  She has pitched 26 innings, allowing 25 hits, 6 walks, and has struck out 20 batters.

The second game of the day will prove a little bit tougher for the Bulls.  This game could easily go either way, but the Bulls have the ability to make the clutch hit when they need it and will battle for what they hope will be a win.