USF softball has had some outstanding pitchers over the years. People like Georgina Corrick, Sara Nevins, and Monica Triner are names that quickly come to mind.
And at the rate she's going, sophomore Anne Long may one day take her place with that group. She dominated Florida Atlantic on Friday afternoon as the Bulls advanced to the American Conference finals with a 3-0 victory.
Long was unanimously named the conference pitcher of the year earlier this week, and you won't get an argument from FAU about that. who fell to her for the third time this season. Long pitched a 14-inning shutout against the Owls during the regular season and followed that with another strong performance when it mattered most.
Then again, it has become expected when she is in the circle.
The Owls managed only three hits against her. She struck out six.
USF will play East Carolina, a 3-2 winner over Wichita State for the championship on Satuday at noon. The game will be carried on ESPN2.
Bulls win 3-0 over FAU in the semi’s & head to Saturday’s championship! Way to go, @USFSoftball! LFGB!!!🤘🏻😤📈 https://t.co/BPzSQjJQJc
— Rob Higgins (@RHiggins_USF) May 8, 2026
The game was scoreless until the bottom of the fourth when USF pushed across its first run. On the postgame interview on ESPN+, Long said she wasn't concerned that this game would be a repeat of the 4-hour, 14-inning game the last time these teams met.
"I knew it was going to happen," she said.
It was Long's 20th win against only five losses this season. It was her 15th win against 16 conference opponents.
The Bulls "should" be comfortably in the 64-team NCAA field no matter what happens on Saturday. They are ranked 34th in RPI and ... well, as Bulls fans learned after the selection committed snubbed the highly credentialed women's lacrosse team last weekend, they can take nothing for granted.
USF is no stranger to May Madness. The Bulls have been to the NCAA tournament 18 times, including three times in the last five seasons.
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