TAMPA, Fla. – Graduate pitcher
Dawn Bodrug and the Seawolves rose to the occasion of going head-to-head with one of the best teams in the country on Saturday night. The Seawolves and the No. 22 ranked Bulls battled it out over eight innings with Bodrug and South Florida ace Georgina Corrick locked in a pitcher's duel.
The Bulls pulled away with a 1-0 victory on a walk-off single in the bottom of the eighth inning. Despite the defeat, the Seawolves had their chances to jump out in front of South Florida, but fell just short of capitalizing.
Bodrug went the distance once again for Stony Brook and racked up 14 strikeouts in the process. Her 14 strikeouts were the most South Florida has struck out in a game all season. The graduate only surrendered three hits in the ball game and all three hits were singles.
South Florida's first two hitters went a combine 3-7 with an RBI and a strikeout against Bodrug. The rest of the Bulls' order went a combine 0-19 with 13 strikeouts against Bodrug as she mowed down the remainder of South Florida's bats.
The Seawolves had a chance to take the lead in the top of the eighth inning after junior outfielder
Shauna Nuss was placed on second base and then stole third. Stony Brook was unable to bring Nuss around to score as sophomore outfielder
Alicia Orosco popped up to the shortstop, sophomore utility
Catherine Anne Kupinski flew out to left, and senior infielder
Lindsey Osmer struck out swinging.
South Florida capitalized in the bottom of the eighth inning as Alexis Johns singled home the game-winning run with one out in the inning.
STATS AND NOTES
- Bodrug tossed her sixth complete game of the season and the 32nd of her career. The graduate pitched 7.1 innings, allowed one run (unearned) on three hits, and stuck out 14. Her 14 strikeouts were her second-most in a game this season (struck out 15 against Utah State on Mar. 4). It was her second double-digit strikeout game of the season and the 17th of her career.
- Orosco went 1-4 at the dish and recorded the Seawolves' lone hit, a single, in the top of the sixth inning. She is currently on a three-game hitting streak.
- Kyra McFarland drew a walk in the game and extended her reached base streak to 12 games in a row.
QUOTES FROM THE SEAWOLVES
"We played a tremendous game tonight against an outstanding opponent. It was an intense battle and I couldn't be prouder of our team. We created chances to put runners in scoring position, but just couldn't push one across against one of the best pitchers in the country. We played tough defense and Dawn was lights out in the circle. It was an elite performance by her. It was a great atmosphere and we have a lot to take away from this one," said head coach
Megan T. Bryant.
NEXT UP
Stony Brook concludes play in the USF Tournament tomorrow when it goes head-to-head with Army at 10 a.m. The Seawolves face the Black Knights for the first time since 2012 when they picked up a 12-0 win in five innings.
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