GREENVILLE, NC – The South Florida Bulls defeated the East Carolina Pirates 5-1 to win the 2026 American Conference Softball Championship on Saturday afternoon at Joyner Family Softball Stadium.
 
Behind a record-setting crowd of 921 people, the Bulls repeated as champions and captured their second American Softball Championship title.
 
South Florida pitcher Anne Long was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player after allowing just four hits and one run in 14.0 innings in the circle over the course of two games.
 
South Florida’s bats were hot to start the game, recording three hits in the first inning. Alex Wilkes scored Olivia Elliott from second base with a two-out single for the first run of the game.
 
A mistake-filled fourth inning resulted in four runs for the Bulls. Alexa Galligani began the scoring with a single up the middle, but a pair of errors on the play allowed a run to score. A fielder’s choice off the bat of DaNia Brooks pushed home another run before Jamia Nelson drove in a pair of runs with a single to center field.
 
The Pirates got their first hit of the game with a solo home run from Hailey Deter, her second of the tournament, to start the fifth inning, but that was all East Carolina would get as Long held the Pirates hitless the rest of the way.
 
Long (21-5) earned the win for the Bulls, allowing one run in seven innings in the circle, while striking out five batters.
 
Julia Apostolakos (18-12) allowed four runs of six hits in 2.1 innings in the loss.  Sydney Rainford tossed the final 3.2 innings, allowing one hit in relief.
 
Most Outstanding Player
Anne Long, P, South Florida
 
All-Tournament Team
Sydney Lewis, DP, Charlotte
Anneca Anderson, P, North Texas
Ryley Nihart, P, Wichita State
Julia Apostolakos, P, East Carolina
Sydney Rainford, P, East Carolina
Anna Sawyer, OF, East Carolina
Hailey Deter, OF, East Carolina
Olivia Elliott, OF, South Florida
Jamia Nelson, 1B, South Florida
Kathy Garcia-Soto, 2B, South Florida
Anne Long, P, South Florida
Alex Wilkes, SS, South Florida
 
2026 AMERICAN SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE
Joyner Family Softball Stadium | Greenville, North Carolina
 
Wednesday, May 6 | First and Second Round
Game 1: No. 8 Tulsa 2, No. 9 UAB 1 | Box Score

Game 2: No. 7 UTSA 8, No. 10 Memphis 6 | Box Score

Game 3: No. 5 Charlotte 2, No. 8 Tulsa 0 | Box Score

Game 4: No. 6 North Texas 7, No. 7 UTSA 6 | Box Score
Thursday, May 7 | Quarterfinals
Game 5: No. 4 Florida Atlantic 5, No. 5 Charlotte 4 | Box Score

Game 6: No. 3 East Carolina 4, No. 6 North Texas 2 | Box Score
Friday, May 8 | Semifinals
Game 7: No. 1 South Florida 3, No. 4 Florida Atlantic 0 | Box Score

Game 8: No. 3 East Carolina 3, No. 2 Wichita State 2 | Box Score
Saturday, May 9 | Championship
Game 9: No. 1 South Florida 5, No. 3 East Carolina 1 | Box Score