ECU 2, UConn 1
Whitney Sanford threw a complete game and Meredith Burroughs hit her team-leading 11th home run of the season to lift ECU past UConn 2-1 in an American Athletic Conference series opener at Burrill Family Field. ECU opened the scoring in the top of the first inning when Tyler King led off reaching third on a fielding error and scored via a sacrifice fly off the bat of Ashleigh Inae. Burroughs then put the Pirates ahead 2-0 with a solo home run to center field. The Huskies cut into the lead in the bottom of the fifth, using a Samantha Barnett RBI double to make the score 2-1. UConn then loaded the bases, but Sanford induced a foul out to left field to terminate the threat. Both pitchers settled in from there as ECU claimed the one-run victory.
Memphis 8, UCF 3
Memphis took care of business Friday afternoon by defeating UCF by a score of 8-3. The Tigers improve to 30-12 on the year and 6-4 in American Athletic Conference play, marking just the third time in program history the Tigers have won at least 30 games in a single season. Memphis took the lead first in the top of the fourth inning and although UCF tied it in the next half inning, the Tigers never trailed in the contest. After UCF tied up the contest at 1-1 with a solo home run, the Tigers had their first of two big innings with three runs in the top of the fifth inning. Again, UCF had an answer. This time it was for two runs in the bottom half of the fifth to come within one of Memphis. UCF threatened in the bottom of the sixth, but the Memphis defense combined with Mariah Nichols in the circle got out of the bases loaded jam. Four runs in the top of the seventh put the game all but out of reach for the Knights. In the bottom of the seventh, Memphis forced UCF into a one-two-three inning en route to its 30th win of the year. Molly Smith earned her 18th victory of the season while Mariah Nichols picked up the save. Three Tigers finished with multiple hits while Baylee Smith led the team with three runs scored. Kyra Klarkowski and Aubrey Johnson each homered Friday night for the Knights, Cassady Brewer reached base for the tenth game in a row, while Denali Schappacher and Erin Emanuel added two hits each for the Knights.
USF 3, Tulsa 1
A pair of home runs by Mia Fung and Lindsey Devitt powered USF to a 3-1 win over Tulsa on Friday night. The juniors shined for USF in its first game of the series against Tulsa, as six of USF’s eight hits came from the junior class. In the top of the third inning, Macy Cook struck USF’s first hit of the game with a double to right center, and Fung sent a two-run home run deep over the left field fence. In the fourth inning Devitt, sent a solo shot over the fence to add to the USF lead. Georgina Corrick held the Golden Hurricane scoreless for four full innings and threw four strikeouts to earn her 12th win of the season. Shelby Estocado and Sarah Briers each doubled for the Golden Hurricane, while Shannon Hughes, Mikayla Whitten, Haley Meinen and Rylie Spell each recorded hits for the home squad.
Houston 7, Wichita State 0
Houston shutout Wichita State, 7-0, in its American Athletic Conference series opener on Friday night at Cougar Softball Stadium. In the circle, Savannah Heebner tossed a four-hitter to improve to 17-6. Heebner, who retired nine-straight between the third and sixth innings, issued no walks and recorded four strikeouts. The complete-game shutout is the eighth of her season. Hitting for herself, she finished 2-for-3 with a triple, two RBI and one run scored. Kelli Montgomery joined Heebner with a triple – the first of her career – and two RBI as part of a 2-for-3 performance, while Brooke Vannoy went 1-for-2 with a double, walk and two runs scored.