University of Memphis Athletics
Thursday, April 17
Tampa, Fla.
3 PM
University of Memphis
at
South Florida
Tigers to Begin Long Road Stand at South Florida
Apr 16, 2025 | Softball
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Memphis softball (16-27, 4-14 AAC) begins a lengthy road trip with a three-game series against South Florida (33-12-1, 12-5-1 AAC).
All three games will be broadcast on ESPN+ and will take place on Thursday, Friday and Saturday with start times of 3 p.m. CST, 3 p.m. CST and 3:30 p.m., respectively.
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
Memphis enters the weekend after being swept by Charlotte and having lost six of its last seven games.
Still standing as the only Tiger to have started all 43 games this season, Neely Taylor also leads the lineup in batting average (.326) and is in a three-way tie for the team lead in doubles with eight. She is currently tied with the other two Tigers currently hitting above the .300 mark, Zoe Adebayo and Kennedy Semien. Adebayo has team-high marks in OPS (1.084), home runs (8), RBI (30) and walks (24). Semien, currently hitting .322, has scored the most runs (30) for Memphis in 2025, and is second in hits with 37.
Another bat in the Tiger lineup that has come alive in recent games is Arianna Cox-Cole. She comes into the weekend on a five-game hitting streak and is third in the American Athletic Conference in steals with 18.
In the circle, the pairing of Rylee Dugar and Lyrical Bennett has thrown a majority of innings for Memphis this season. Both have five wins, while Dugar has the lowest ERA at 4.34 and has struck out 49 batters over 79 innings. Bennett has six complete games on the season with 92.2 innings in the circle and holds an ERA of 4.38.
SCOUTING THE BULLS
South Florida comes into the series after sweeping Tulsa at home last weekend.
The Bulls offense leads the AAC in doubles (73), RBI (254) and OPS (.941) with seven batters hitting over .300 this season. Two-time AAC Player of the Week, Alex Wilkes, leads the team in home runs (9) and RBI (43). Three Bulls (Josie Foreman, Alanah Rivera, Camille Ortiz-Martinez) are slugging at-or-above the .600 mark. In total, Bulls position players have earned Player of the Week honors three times and have been selected to the honor roll a total of four times.
South Florida boasts a tandem of Belle Sardja and Payton Dixon in the circle. Dixon, a two-time AAC Pitcher of the Week, has thrown the most innings (142) by a pitcher in the conference this season and has the fourth-best ERA (2.17) and third-best strikeout total (91) in the American. Her 16 wins are second in the AAC and 18th in the NCAA. Sardja, a fellow two-time AAC Pitcher of the Week honoree, holds a 2.16 ERA with 12 wins and seven saves. Her save total ranks third nationally and second in the AAC.
THE SERIES WITH…
The Tigers trail 4-33 in the all-time series, with South Florida currently holding a 19-game winning streak against Memphis dating back to the 2018 season.
HOW TO FOLLOW THE TIGERS
For complete information on Memphis Tigers Softball, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
All three games will be broadcast on ESPN+ and will take place on Thursday, Friday and Saturday with start times of 3 p.m. CST, 3 p.m. CST and 3:30 p.m., respectively.
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
Memphis enters the weekend after being swept by Charlotte and having lost six of its last seven games.
Still standing as the only Tiger to have started all 43 games this season, Neely Taylor also leads the lineup in batting average (.326) and is in a three-way tie for the team lead in doubles with eight. She is currently tied with the other two Tigers currently hitting above the .300 mark, Zoe Adebayo and Kennedy Semien. Adebayo has team-high marks in OPS (1.084), home runs (8), RBI (30) and walks (24). Semien, currently hitting .322, has scored the most runs (30) for Memphis in 2025, and is second in hits with 37.
Another bat in the Tiger lineup that has come alive in recent games is Arianna Cox-Cole. She comes into the weekend on a five-game hitting streak and is third in the American Athletic Conference in steals with 18.
In the circle, the pairing of Rylee Dugar and Lyrical Bennett has thrown a majority of innings for Memphis this season. Both have five wins, while Dugar has the lowest ERA at 4.34 and has struck out 49 batters over 79 innings. Bennett has six complete games on the season with 92.2 innings in the circle and holds an ERA of 4.38.
SCOUTING THE BULLS
South Florida comes into the series after sweeping Tulsa at home last weekend.
The Bulls offense leads the AAC in doubles (73), RBI (254) and OPS (.941) with seven batters hitting over .300 this season. Two-time AAC Player of the Week, Alex Wilkes, leads the team in home runs (9) and RBI (43). Three Bulls (Josie Foreman, Alanah Rivera, Camille Ortiz-Martinez) are slugging at-or-above the .600 mark. In total, Bulls position players have earned Player of the Week honors three times and have been selected to the honor roll a total of four times.
South Florida boasts a tandem of Belle Sardja and Payton Dixon in the circle. Dixon, a two-time AAC Pitcher of the Week, has thrown the most innings (142) by a pitcher in the conference this season and has the fourth-best ERA (2.17) and third-best strikeout total (91) in the American. Her 16 wins are second in the AAC and 18th in the NCAA. Sardja, a fellow two-time AAC Pitcher of the Week honoree, holds a 2.16 ERA with 12 wins and seven saves. Her save total ranks third nationally and second in the AAC.
THE SERIES WITH…
The Tigers trail 4-33 in the all-time series, with South Florida currently holding a 19-game winning streak against Memphis dating back to the 2018 season.
HOW TO FOLLOW THE TIGERS
For complete information on Memphis Tigers Softball, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
Players Mentioned
1B/C
/ Softball
P/3B
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
UTL
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballWolfchase Toyota Insider: Softball Edition - May 19, 2025
Monday, May 19
Softball: Trena Prater Press Conference - May 7, 2025
Wednesday, May 07
Softball: Trena Prater Press Conference - May 3, 2025
Saturday, May 03
Softball: Rylee Dugar Press Conference - May 2, 2025
Friday, May 02