SOUTH BEND, Ind. (May 11, 2007) ? The University of South Florida softball team was eliminated from the BIG EAST Championship Friday night, losing to Louisville, 5-1, at the Belleville Softball Complex in South Bend, Ind.

With the loss, the Bulls (44-22) will have to wait and see if they receive an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament during the selection show on Sunday from 3-4 p.m. on ESPNews.

Cristi Ecks (11-7) started the game and was credited with the loss, giving up two runs on three hits in two and two-thirds innings pitched. Kristen Gordon came in relief and allowed three runs on seven hits in four innings of work.

USF jumped out to the early lead in the first inning, 1-0. The Bulls opened up loading the bases off of three singles. After Louisville pitcher Kristen Wadwell quickly got two strikeouts, Courtney Mosch hit a grounder to the shortstop, who committed an error to allow the run to score.

Louisville (35-23) evened the score and took the lead, putting together a two-out rally in the third, 2-1. With runners at first and second, Melissa Roth hit a bases-clearing double. 

In the seventh inning, the Cardinals added an insurance run when Candi Hicks led off with a solo home run. Kristi Cunningham put the game out of reach, hitting a two-run homer off Gordon in the seventh.

The Bulls had a runner on in the seventh inning, but the comeback fell short as Wadwell (14-8) closed out the contest with the complete-game victory.