TAMPA, Fla. (Feb. 12, 2006) ? The University of South Florida softball team (2-3) couldn't hang on to its lead and lost for the second time in as many days, 4-2, to Mississippi State (5-0) in the championship game of the Best Western Invitational at the USF Softball Field.

USF opened up the scoring in the top of the first to take a 1-0 lead. After reaching base due to a fielding error by the pitcher, Samantha Ray scored thanks to a Tiffany Stewart RBI single.

The Bulls put an insurance run on the board when freshman JoJo Medina hit her first collegiate home run to make the score 2-0.

The Bulldogs cut into USF's lead in the bottom of the fourth when they loaded up the bases with one out. A sacrifice fly by Callye Williams scored a run, 1-0. The Bulls closed out the inning, getting a ground out to end Mississippi State's scoring opportunity.

Mississippi State got its bats going in the bottom of the fifth, taking a one run lead, 3-2. A double and consecutive singles scored two runs when there were two outs in the inning.

After the Bulldogs added another run to the board in the bottom of the sixth to take a 4-2 lead, USF couldn't get anything going in the top of the seventh inning and lost to MSU for the second time in as many days.

Cristi Ecks (1-2) was charged with the loss although she only gave up one earned run in the game. The freshman struck out three in five innings of work. MSU pitcher Ragan Blake (3-0) picked up her second win against USF in 2006, pitching a complete game. Blake struck out seven while only giving up three hits 

USF will travel to Gainesville, Fla., on Wednesday to face Florida at 5 p.m.