USF Softball Takes on Villanova

The USF softball team, 41-8 (13-3), gets back to Big East play as they host Villanova over the weekend for 3-games (final regular season home stand of the season as well).

Nova enters the series at 30-20, but are just 4-12 in Big East play and 10-8 away from home.  This will be a strong chance for the Bulls to get back to work in conference play (double header is Saturday, 2PM and 4PM, the series ends Sunday at 1PM, also senior night).

Nova is led by senior outfielder Jamie O'Hara who is batting .372 this season with 12 RBIs and has 7 steals.  Senior RHP (when not in the circle) is batting .358 with 12 doubles, 2 home runs, and has 26 RBIs on the year.  Junior 1B Valerie Ortega is batting .350 with 15 doubles and 15 RBIs.  Freshman catcher/outfielder Beth Smetana is batting .337 with 3 home runs and has 23 RBIs.  Senior outfielder Tessa Braga is batting .301 with 13 RBIs.  The major thing to take notice with the batting order is the run production from top to bottom.  The Wildcats get RBIs from the top and bottom of their batting order, so there are no easy outs in the order.  Nevins and company will have to stay sharp and not allow too many base runners because anyone can drive them home.

The pitching staff is led by senior RHP Caitlyn Delahaba who is 16-12 on the season (2.91 ERA).  She has worked 163.2 innings, allowing 179 hits, 45 walks, and has struck out 120 batters (opponents hitting .277 against her this year).  Manning, the other pitcher, is 12-7 with a 3.20 ERA.  She has worked 119.1 innings, allowing 148 hits, 28 walks, and has struck out 74 batters (batters hitting .299 against her). The two pitchers have high opponent batting averages against them meaning teams that rack up hits and continue to attack the strike zone and get on base can get to the Wildcats, something USF excels at.  Look for the Bulls to work counts, get runners on base, and continue to pressure Nova and get runs early and often.

This is going to be a huge series for the Bulls (please Pack the Stadium this weekend).  The ladies fell off a bit after the Louisville series, but they have a great opportunity to come back this weekend and notch a couple conference wins and send out the senior class in their last senior home series out the proper way.