Softball heads to USF Tournament in Tampa for weekend action

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University softball team heads down to Tampa, Florida, for the 2018 USF Tournament hosted by the University of South Florida. The tournament begins on Friday, Feb. 23 and will run through Sunday, Feb. 25.

The Particulars

Friday
Opponent: Game 1: Fordham | Game 2: Drake
Location: USF Softball Stadium | Tampa, Fla.
Times: Game 1: 9:15 a.m. | Game 2: 11:30 a.m.

Saturday
Opponent: Game 3: South Florida | Game 4: TBA
Location: USF Softball Stadium | Tampa, Fla.
Times: Game 1: 11:30 a.m. | Game 2: TBA 

Sunday
Opponent: TBA
Location: USF Softball Stadium | Tampa, Fla.
Time: TBA

Live Stats: GoUSFBulls.com

SERIES HISTORY

• This is the third-ever meeting between Fordham and Bryant. The teams met twice last season with the Rams sweeping both games at the ECU Pirate Clash.
• This is the first-ever meeting between Drake and Bryant.
• This is also the first time that USF and Bryant have met in program history.

BULLDOG NOTES AND NOTABLES

• Bryant is 1-3 on the season in 2018, playing in the Hillenbrand Invitational hosted by the University of Arizona last weekend. The Bulldogs earned their first win of the season, a 6-4 victory, against ULM on the second day of the tournament.
• Senior catcher Robyn Ukegawa (Carlsbad, Calif.) is the team's leader in batting average, going 2-for-7 (.286) last weekend.
• Freshman Alexandra Hickey (St. John, Ind.) is one of three Bulldogs with a home run. Hickey also has four RBI and a double. The first-year is hitting .273 in 2018.
• In the circle, redshirt junior Logan Paul (Shaker Heights, Ohio) has a sparkling 0.00 ERA, having not allowed an earned run on the season through five innings pitched.

SCOUTING THE FIELD

• USF, the host team this weekend, is 5-7 on the season. The Bulls are coming into the weekend having lost their last three games, one against No. 19 Oklahoma and another against No. 10 Tennessee.
  • Amber Atkinson leads USF with a .438 batting average, going 7-for-16 with a home run and five RBI. Georgina Corrick has made a team-best five starts in the circle, going 2-2 with a 1.42 ERA.

• The Fordham Rams enter winless on the season, dropping all five games they have played. They last played in last weekends' historic Mary Nutter Classic, competing against three opponents who received votes in the national poll: No. 23 Cal, No. 21 Utah, and Arkansas.
  • Paige Rauch is the Rams' leading hitter, batting .308 with a home run and three RBI. Lauren Quense leads the Rams from the circle, making five starts and logging 16 innings with a 4.38 ERA.

• Drake comes into the weekend with a 6-3 overall record, with a notable 1-0 victory over Mississippi State in the February Freezer in Starkville, Mississippi.
  • Mandi Roemmich leads Drake with a .429 average. She has four doubles and eight runs scored in 2018. In the circle, Drake has a team ERA of 1.05. The staff is led by Nicole Newman, who has made four starts and has yet to allow an earned run.