TAMPA, Fla. (Feb. 18, 2006) ? The University of South Florida softball team had a solid offensive showing and snapped its two-game losing streak, defeating Temple 11-4 in day one of the Wilson Invitational at the USF Softball Field.
The Bulls featured three pitchers in the game, as Kasey Cash got the start while Danielle Urbanik and Nicole Christensen provided solid relief. Cash received a no decision as she left the game when the score was tied. Urbanik came in the game in the fourth inning and only gave up two hits and one run in three innings of work to receive her first win of the year.
Five USF players had multi-hit games ? seniors Samantha Ray, Krista Holle, Tiffany Stewart, Christie Chapman, and sophomore Carly Griffin ? and three players had multi-RBI games ? Ray, Chapman and Griffin.
The Bulls opened up the scoring in the top of the first, taking a 2-0 lead. After Kattrina Dowd led off the inning with walk, Holle hit her second-career triple, knocking the ball off the right-field fence to drive home the run. Stewart came up to bat and drove home Holle off a sacrifice bunt.
In the third, USF had runners at the corners thanks to a lead-off triple by Ray and a walk by Holle. With one out Chapman came up to the plate and tallied an infield hit, putting the Bulls up 3-0.
After USF let Temple get within in one run in the bottom of the third, a home run to left field by Makeala Compton tied the game at 3-3 in the fourth.
In the fifth the Bulls regained the lead, putting two runs on the board to make the score 5-3. A single and a stolen base put Stewart at first, and Chapman drew a walk to put runners at the corners with two outs. Griffin hit her fifth double of the year to right field, driving in both runs.
The Bulls put the game out of reach in the seventh, scoring six runs to put the score 11-4 in USF's favor. Everyone in the Bulls' lineup came to bat in the seventh and seven batters got on base.
USF will continue tournament action tomorrow when it faces the College of Charleston at 1:30 p.m. and FAMU at 4 p.m.
