USF Notes: Lacrosse, Softball, and Baseball Roundup

Read Time:3 Minute, 25 Second

Spring sports are off and running as all three outdoor programs have officially opened their seasons at USF. Bulls baseball was the final squad to get underway, welcoming fans back to Red McEwen Field while the softball stadium sits active right next door. These venues are located directly across the street from Corbett Field, the home of USF lacrosse and both soccer programs, all of which sit in the shadow of the new on-campus football stadium currently under construction. Adding to the athletic district’s growth, the tennis and beach volleyball programs have both moved into brand-new facilities, while the basketball teams continue their own strong runs.

Lacrosse The 2026 season began with a dominant 20–5 victory over the Niagara Purple Eagles at Corbett Stadium. Just over a week later, the Bulls hosted a “Bark at the Park” themed game against the Michigan Wolverines, but unfortunately suffered their first loss of the season in a 16–10 defeat. The Bulls quickly got back on track during a road trip to face the Stetson Hatters. In a historic performance, USF erupted for 11 goals in the first quarter alone, setting a program record for scoring in a single period. Stetson struggled to find the net, scoring only four total goals, with the majority coming in the final frame. The Bulls cruised to a 25–4 victory, shattering single-game and single-quarter scoring marks in the process.

Softball Coming off a two-game winning streak against the Delaware Blue Hens, the softball team found their stride during the Fonseca Memorial Tournament, where they went 4–1. Their only loss came against Kansas, a team the Bulls had previously defeated in the USF-Rawlings Invitational. Following the tournament, USF hosted a doubleheader against the Stetson Hatters. Game one was a back-and-forth thriller that began with the Bulls taking a 2–0 lead in the first. Stetson tied it in the second, and the teams traded runs again in the fifth and sixth innings to send the game into extras. The Bulls secured a 4–3 walk-off win in 10 innings behind a 13-hit attack led by Kathy Garcia-Soto, Alexa Galligani, and Olivia Elliot, who all recorded three hits. In game two, Stetson jumped out to a 4–0 lead in the third, but USF answered immediately with three runs of their own. The Bulls added five more runs over the next two innings to secure an 8–5 win. Kathy Garcia-Soto, Alexa Galligani, and newcomer Toryn Fulton—who hit two home runs in the game—all contributed multi-hit performances to extend USF’s winning streak to five games.

Baseball The USF baseball team is off to a hot 4–1 start in their second year under head coach Mitch Hannahs. The season opened at home with a three-game series against the Illinois Fighting Illini. In game one, the Bulls used a four-run seventh inning to break open a close game and secure a 9–4 victory, led by two-hit nights from Jake Kulikowski and Jacob Green. Game two was a pitcher’s duel that went into extra innings tied 2–2, but Illinois scored twice in the top of the tenth to hand USF a 4–2 loss. The Bulls bounced back in a high-scoring finale, overcoming a 7–4 deficit by scoring seven runs across the sixth and eighth innings to win 11–10. Bradke Lohry, Nathan Earley, and Jevin Relaford all provided key hits in the series-clinching victory. Following that series, USF welcomed North Dakota State for the first time in program history. In game one, the Bulls rode a three-hit performance from Eli Thomas and a strong debut from Santiago Carriles to a 9–5 win. The following day, the pitching staff took center stage in a 3–1 victory, punctuated by a dramatic top of the ninth where the Bisons loaded the bases but failed to score.

What are your thoughts on USF Athletics? Leave a comment below.

For all your NCAA athletics news, log on to ngscsports.com.

About Post Author

Bradley Walker

Bradley Walker serves as the Director of Operations for NGSC Sports, bringing extensive experience across collegiate, professional, and amateur athletics. His coverage spans USF Athletics, including football, baseball, lacrosse, and softball, as well as University of Tampa baseball. Bradley also provides coverage of minor league baseball with the Clearwater Threshers and Major League Baseball with the Tampa Bay Rays. On the national stage, he covers college football bowl games and conference championship matchups, along with premier golf events across the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and LPGA Tour. In addition to his reporting work, Bradley is the play-by-play announcer for Pinellas Park High School Patriots football, lending his voice and insight to Friday night lights. He is also an active podcast host and contributor, serving as a co-host on the P&W Sports Report and hosting The Walker Report, where he delivers in-depth sports analysis, interviews, and coverage across multiple levels of competition.

bradleywalker3083@gmail.com

http://ngscsports.com

Happy

0 %

Sad

0 %

Excited

0 %

Sleepy

0 %

Angry

0 %

Surprise

0 %

Author Profile

Bradley Walker: Bradley Walker serves as the Director of Operations for NGSC Sports, bringing extensive experience across collegiate, professional, and amateur athletics. His coverage spans USF Athletics, including football, baseball, lacrosse, and softball, as well as University of Tampa baseball.

Bradley also provides coverage of minor league baseball with the Clearwater Threshers and Major League Baseball with the Tampa Bay Rays. On the national stage, he covers college football bowl games and conference championship matchups, along with premier golf events across the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and LPGA Tour.

In addition to his reporting work, Bradley is the play-by-play announcer for Pinellas Park High School Patriots football, lending his voice and insight to Friday night lights.

He is also an active podcast host and contributor, serving as a co-host on the P&W Sports Report and hosting The Walker Report, where he delivers in-depth sports analysis, interviews, and coverage across multiple levels of competition.