TUCSON ? The University of South Florida softball team dropped game two at the Hillenbrand Invitational against Iowa State, 3-1, in Tucson, Ariz. on Friday night.

Following the loss, the Bulls fall to 8-7 for the season and are 0-2 away from the USF Softball Stadium.

The Cyclones (12-2) jumped out to an early 2-0 lead with the help of a trio of first inning hits against Bulls' starting pitcher Kristen Gordon.

USF would answer back in the bottom half of the first when junior second baseman Britta Giddens ignited the Bulls with a two-out single up the middle. The rally continued with two more hits from senior Courtney Mosch and sophomore Alison Savarese. Savarese ripped an RBI single to center to bring in Giddens for the Bulls' only run of the game.

Giddens led all hitters with three hits, including a double in the fifth in an attempt to spark the Bulls past the Cyclones.

Junior pitcher Cristi Ecks came in relief for Gordon in the top of the fourth and retired Iowa State's three batters in order. Ecks held the Cyclones scoreless in her four innings of work, allowing just three Cyclone hits and striking out six.

Despite the loss, the Bulls outhit the Cyclones nine-to-seven.

The Bulls will be back in action on Saturday morning when they take on Illinois-Chicago at 11 a.m. (EST) and New Mexico State at 1 p.m. for day two of action at the Hillenbrand Invitational in Tucson.

Log on to www.GOUSFBulls.com to hear all the action LIVE on USF Press Pass Radio. You can also follow all of the action as it happens on Gamewatcher.