Day one of the C-USA Softball Tournament has concluded at Ulmer Stadium in Louisville, Ky. In the final game of the day, No. 3 USF edged second-seeded Louisville, 1-0. Leigh Ann Ellis recorded her 40th win of the season with five strikeouts and no walks. Earlier, USF had topped sixth-seeded East Carolina in game two. In game three, No. 5 seed Houston upset top-seeded Southern Miss, 5-1. In the first matchup of the day, the Cougars edged No. 4 DePaul, 3-1.

Game One – (5) Houston 3, (4) DePaul 1
Houston topped DePaul, 3-1, in the first game of the C-USA Softball Tournament at Louisville, Ky. The Cougars (36-22) scored early in the contest and held on to the lead for the rest of the game. UH outhit DePaul 7-5 and was led by first baseman Jenilee Skender who went 2-for-4 with a double.

Houston put two on the board in the first inning when Skender notched an RBI single and Kristen Glowacz scored on a wild pitch in the first frame.

In the bottom of the second, DePaul (25-29-1) answered with a run when Sara Bandauski’s single through the right side scored Jenny Doezie.

Jeanie Davis registered an RBI single in the third frame, scoring Glowacz to put the Cougars up 3-1. Crystal Briscoe and Jenny Johnson held off DePaul for the rest of the game from the circle to secure the win.

Briscoe (11-9) picked up the win, scattering five hits and striking out two in 6.1 innings.

The Blue Demons will play Louisville on Friday at 1:30 p.m.

Game Two – (3) USF 7, (6) East Carolina 1
Third-seeded USF shutdown No. 6 East Carolina, 7-1, in game two of the C-USA Softball Tournament on Thursday. The Bulls claimed a sizeable lead early on after a six-run inning in the first frame and tacked on another when Kattrina Dowd connected on her sixth home run of the season in the bottom of the fourth.

The Bulls scored six off three hits and four costly ECU errors in the first inning. Krista Holle doubled to right center to pick up two RBI, while Rena Rodriguez and Samantha Ray chipped in with singles to right and left field, respectively.

Dowd widened the gap for USF in the fourth frame with a solo shot over center field.

East Carolina posted its only run of the game in the top of the fifth. Mandi Nichols reached first on a single to right field and scored when Leigh Savoy reached on a USF error.

Freshman Kasey Cash picked up her fourth win of the season. She struck out five Pirates and allowed just two hits.

Nichols (1-for-2) and Dany’ele Hill (1-for-3) combined to post ECU’s two hits.

The Pirates will match up against Southern Miss on Friday at 11 a.m.

Game Three – (5) Houston 5, (1) Southern Miss 1
No. 5 seed Houston (37-22) upset regular season champion Southern Miss, 5-1, in game three of the C-USA Tournament. In their second win of the day, the Cougars used seven hits, including a home run, to overcome No. 1 seed USM (32-23).

UH put up the first two runs of the game in the top of the third. Arelis Ferreris reached first on a single and scored on a Southern Miss throwing error. Then Kim Nesloney singled to right field to score Jaci Gonzalez.

The Cougars lengthened their lead to 4-0 in the fourth when Ferreris knocked a two-run homer off the left field scoreboard. She scored pinch runner Brandi Clark. It was Ferreris’ ninth home run of the season.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Golden Eagles threatened, putting two runners in scoring position off a hit and a Houston error. With two outs, Jessica Huerta struck out looking to end the inning short.

Brooke Johnson posted the Cougars’ fifth run when she dropped an RBI double in the left center hole to score pinch runner Michelle Keith.

Sarah Boyd (2-for-3) put USM’s lone run on the board with a her ninth home run of the season, a solo shot over center field.

Jamie Falco (6-5) pitched the complete-game victory, recording four strikeouts and scattering three hits.

Ferreris led Houston, hitting 2-for-3 and posting two RBI and two runs. Houston will face USF at 4 p.m. on Friday.

Game Four – (3) USF 1, (2) Louisville 0
One run is all it took for third-seeded USF to edge No. 2 Louisville, 1-0, in the final game of the C-USA Tournament on Thursday at Ulmer Stadium. Leigh Ann Ellis pitched her 40th win of the season while Carmela Liwag led on offense, batting 3-for-3 and posting her 19th double of the season.

USF scored the only run of the game in the top of the fourth inning when Liwag notched a double to left center and scored on an error by the second baseman. The Bulls had nearly put up another run in the first inning when Shelly Riker tried to take two bases on a Holly Groves single. Riker rounded third and headed for home but U of L’s Sara Bausher fielded the ball and fired it home in time for the tag.

Leigh Ann Ellis (40-4) led the shutout from the circle, striking out five and walking none.

Shannon Nord led the Cardinal charge, going 3-for-3.

USF improved its record to 57-10 to tie a program record for wins. The Bulls will face Houston on Friday at 4 p.m. while Louisville will battle DePaul at 1:30 p.m.


C-USA Tournament (Louisville, Ky.)

Thursday, May 13
Game 1 - (5) Houston 3, (4) DePaul 1
Game 2 – (3) USF 7, (6) East Carolina 1
Game 3 – (5) Houston 5, (1) Southern Miss 1
Game 4 – (3) USF 1, (2) Louisville 0

Friday, May 14
Game 5 - (6) East Carolina vs. (1) Southern Miss 11:00a
Game 6 - (2) Louisville vs. (4) DePaul 1:30p
Game 7 - (5) Houston vs. (3) USF 4:00p
Game 8 - Winner of G5 vs. Winner of G6 6:30p

Saturday, May 15
Game 9 - Loser G7 vs. Winner of G8 11:00a
Game 10 – Championship 2:05p


All Times Eastern.