TAMPA - The Bulls scored a season-high eleven runs off of seven hits in the third inning. Fourteen Bulls' batters reached on two doubles, five singles, three fielder's choice and four walks from two different Patriots' pitchers.
Sophomore Lauren Rodriguez slammed a double to right field to lead off the third. Britta Giddens followed with an infield hit to put runners on the corners.
With pinch hitter Kendall Arnold at the plate, a wild pitch allowed Rodriguez to put the Bulls up on the scoreboard. Later in the at-bat, Arnold ripped a single up the middle that advanced Giddens to third.
A Kit Dunbar single loaded the bases as JoJo Medina stepped up to the plate and drew a walk to push Giddens across home plate.
Medina's RBI walk prompted George Mason to bring a new pitcher from the bullpen. With two outs and the bases loaded, sophomore Hillary Wolf drew a walk and was credited with an RBI as Medina scored to put the Bulls up 3-0.
A two-run single from Caitlin Schneider scored Alison Savarese and Courtney Mosch, both having reached base on fielder's choice, to make the score 5-0.
After another walk to Rodriguez in the third, who led off the inning, Giddens reached first on a fielder's choice that plated Wolf.
Arnold knocked a two-run single to left field, scoring Rodriguez and Schneider to give the Bulls an 8-0 lead over the Patriots.
Still with two outs, George Mason's defense could not put USF away as pinch hitter Kati O'Brian drew her first career walk to load the bases once again. Medina delivered a three RBI double to deep left center field to score the last three runs of the inning.
After the Patriots cut the lead to 11-5, the Bulls came back in the fifth inning to score three more runs thanks in part to a Savarese double and three singles from O'Brian, Tara Toscano and Brittany Villa.
Wolf loaded the bases one last time on a fielder's choice, and advanced to second on an error pushing senior Aya Nakajima to score run number 14 for the Bulls.
Sophomore pitcher Kristen Gordon was awarded her first win for the season (1-3). Gordon allowed four hits and five runs through 3.2 innings of work. Mosch came in to relieve Gordon and tossed 1.1 innings of no-hit ball to close out the game.
The Bulls will return to the USF Softball Field Wednesday afternoon as they host Boston University at 4 p.m. and Ball State at 6 p.m. in the USF Spring Break Tournament.
