Pirates' Run Ends With 3-1 AAC Semifinal Loss To South Florida

Friday, May 9

Tampa, Fla.

3:30 p.m.

East Carolina University

31-26

South Florida

42-14-1

ECU

South Florida

Pirates' Run Ends With 3-1 AAC Semifinal Loss To South Florida

May 09, 2025 | Softball

Box Score

Tampa, Fla. – The East Carolina softball team saw its run in the American Athletic Conference Softball Championship come to an end on Friday afternoon as the Pirates fell to South Florida, 3-1, in the semifinals at USF Softball Stadium.

Emma Jackson led ECU (31-26, 14-13 AAC) at the plate with two hits including a solo homer in the first inning.

Jackson put the Pirates ahead 1-0 with a leadoff home run to right field in the top of the first inning and ECU's defense held serve in the bottom of the inning, forcing three of South Florida's four batters into outs.

The Bulls tied the game in the bottom of the second, placing runners at second and third on a sac bunt and hitting an RBI single to get on the board. South Florida went ahead 2-1 in the bottom of the third after recording a triple and hitting another single to score the go-ahead run.

ECU threatened in the top of the fourth after back-to-back singles from Chloe Geijer and Joie Fittante but the Pirates were unable to tie or take the lead. After holding South Florida scoreless in the bottom of the fourth, ECU had another to tie the game on a Jackson double with just one out, but the Pirates struck out swinging and popped up to right field to send the game to the bottom of the fifth.

The Bulls plated another run in the bottom of the sixth to extend their lead to 3-1 and down to their last three outs, ECU was unable to get a runner on in the bottom of the seventh.

Kendall Frost (13-16) and Taylor Apple both threw three innings apiece in the circle for the Pirates.