USF and DePaul Open NCAA Regional Softball Action With Wins, Louisville Drops One-Run Decision

Carmela Liwag

USF broke an NCAA Tournament record with 20 hits as the Bulls pounded UCF, 14-3, in a five-inning mercy rule victory on Friday during opening round regional action in Gainesville, Fla. Senior first baseman Carmela Liwag drove in a USF-record six runs in the victory with a pair of bases-clearing doubles.

The Bulls trailed 2-1 entering the bottom of the third inning, but a seven-run outburst in the frame followed by a five-run effort in the fourth lifted USF to the easy victory. C-USA Freshman of the Year Bree Spence recorded her 22nd win of the season, breaking a USF freshman record. Rightfielder Tiffany Stewart and designated player Danielle Urbanik each homered for the Bulls.

In Madison, Wis., Blue Demon pitchers Tracie Adix and Megan Huitink combined on a two-hit shutout as DePaul blanked Wisconsin 6-0. Senior first baseman Saskia Roberson connected on a two-run homer as the Blue Demons scored a pair of runs in the first, third and sixth innings of the contest. Roberson's home run was the 50th of her career.

Nine different DePaul players each had one hit in the game, while Adix, who won her 23rd game of the season, fanned seven and allowed just two hits in 4.1 innings of work. Huitink held the Badgers hitless in 2.2 innings of relief.

In South Bend, Ind., Notre Dame rallied for three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to send Louisville to the loser's bracket of NCAA Region No. 9 with a 3-2 victory on Friday. The Cardinals had the bases loaded with no outs in the first and the bases loaded with one out in the fourth, but failed to plate runs during those threats.

Third baseman Audrey Rendon had three hits to lead a 10-hit effort by the Cardinals. Louisville stranded 10 runners in the game. Candi Hicks had a RBI-single in the second and Sara Bausher added a RBI-double in third.

The Bulls play Bethune Cookman at 1 p.m., EDT, on Saturday after the Wildcats upset top-seed and NCAA Region No. 13 host Florida 3-2 on Friday.

The Blue Demons face Wisconsin-Green Bay also at 1 p.m., EDT, on Saturday after the Phoenix pulled off the biggest upset of day one of the tournament. Green Bay knocked off eighth-seed and Pac-10 regular season champion Oregon State sending the Beavers to the loser's bracket with a 1-0 loss.

The Cardinals play Albany, who lost to Northwestern on Friday, in an elimination game at 2:30, EDT, on Saturday.