USF Softball Series wraps up its first weekend with an exciting finish

The first tournament in the three weekend–long USF Softball Series, the Under Armour Invitational, finished Sunday afternoon at the Eddie C. Moore complex, with the host Bulls taking on the fifth-ranked team in the nation, the Michigan Wolverines.

And despite the fact that the Bulls lost, 7-2, after holding the Wolverines scoreless through the first four innings, the game, and the entire event, was a success.

“The USF Series is blowing up nationwide right now,” Bulls head coach Ken Erickson said after the final game. “It says a lot about the administration’s efforts to bring in the best softball in the country, not just to USF, but to the community.”

Indeed fans, players and coaches alike were thrilled to get a break from a brutal northern winter and enjoy some sun, sand and softball here in Clearwater.

“The weather’s been awesome, and we had a good trip,” Wolverines first baseman Dorian Shaw said. “If it were possible to transfer our whole campus to a warm environment (like this), we would do it!”

Attendance was solid for the three day series, with many schools bringing parents, fans and fellow students to watch the teams play. And with two more weekends to go, it can only help boost the revenues and tourism business for the city.

Perhaps Michigan head coach Carol Hutchins, who earned her 1,200^th career victory here on Saturday, put it best after her team wrapped up its trip:

“It beats going to Michigan to play.”

Take a look at some of the sights from the series this weekend in our photo gallery, and be sure to check out Clearwater Patch for further information on the next two tournaments.