CLEARWATER, Fla. (March 10, 2006) ? The University of South Florida softball team posted back-to-back wins, defeating Michigan State 6-4 and Wright State 9-4 in day two of the adidas Invitational held at the EC Moore Complex in Clearwater, Fla. on Friday.
In game one, USF (14-12) loaded up the bases with one out on the board in the bottom of the first inning. Krista Holle came up to bat and hit a single through the left side, scoring Samantha Ray, 1-0. After a strikeout by Danielle Urbanik gave USF out number two, freshman Ashley Bullion hit a single down the right line, clearing the runners in front of her to give USF a 4-0 lead.
The Bulls got back to work in the second inning, adding another run to their lead, 5-1. After Britta Giddens got on base after getting hit by a Rachel Turney pitch, Ray tripled to right field, driving home the run.
With one swing of the bat, Michigan State (11-5) got a run on the board in the fourth inning thanks to a single shot over the centerfield fence by Dayna Feenstra.
The Spartans cut the Bulls' lead down another run in the top of the fifth inning, 5-2, after an error was committed on what was to be the third out of the inning. On a routine ground out, first baseman Ashley Bullion had the ball but not control of it. After the umpire called it the third out of the inning, the umpire crew conversed and overturned it, which scored the runner from first base.
After USF took a four-run lead thanks to a RBI-single by Bullion, Michigan State cut the lead down to two runs, 6-4, scoring a run on two defensive mistakes.
But it was too little too late for the Spartans, as Cristi Ecks picked up her first collegiate save and retired the side in the top of the seventh inning.
Bree Spence (6-3) picked up the win in her five innings of work, scattering six hits while striking out two batters. The sophomore gave up four runs, in which only three were earned.
Ecks came in the game in the sixth inning and threw two shutout innings, not allowing a hit or a walk.
In game two against Wright State (0-13), the Bulls got on the board early, jumping out to a 2-0 lead. With runners at second and third with one out, Tiffany Stewart hit a sac fly to left center, scoring a run while advancing the runner to third base. Back-to-back RBI singles by Krista Holle and Ashley Bullion gave USF the early 3-0 advantage.
USF continued its offensive surge into the fourth inning, scoring five runs. Christie Chapman hit a lead-off double to right field and scored off a Bullion double. Carly Griffin came up to bat with two runners on and hit a three-run shot over the left-field fence to put the Bulls up 7-0. After Caitlin Schneider hit her first career double, sophomore Laura Wolf hit her first-career triple, driving in the run, 8-0.
Wright State challenged USF's defense in the fourth inning, breaking up Ecks' no-hitter with consecutive singles. A USF error prolonged the inning, which featured Wright State scoring three runs, only one of which was earned.
With Nicole Christensen coming into the game in relief of Ecks (6-6) in the sixth inning, the Raiders took advantage thanks to Tampa, Fla., native Amanda Cody's two-run homer, 9-4.
But the Bulls held off the Raiders' comeback as Christensen pitched a shutout seventh inning to close out the game, 9-4.
USF will face Long Island on Saturday at 1 p.m. depending on how they do, the Bulls will be put into either the gold or silver bracket.
