No. 21/22 DePaul 5, USF 4 (8 innings) | Box Score | Season Stats 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 R H E USF 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 4 10 1 DePaul 0 0 1 0 1 0 2 1 5 9 4 Pitching IP H R ER BB SO W - Frankiewicz 8.0 10 4 2 1 3 L - Spence (4-3) 1.0 1 1 0 2 1 Hitting Leaders AB R H RBI BB HR USF - Rosas 2 1 1 1 0 1 DePaul - Voss 3 2 2 0 0 0 GoUSFBulls.com MultiMedia Live Chat Transcript | Upcoming Schedule

CHICAGO, Ill. ? Despite a home run by Melissa Rosas, the University of South Florida softball team (28-17 overall, 7-6 BIG EAST) fell to the No. 21/22 DePaul Blue Demons (23-9 overall,10-2 BIG EAST), 5-4, in eight innings in the first game on Saturday afternoon.

The Bulls' 10 hits were not enough as the Blue Demons put two runs across in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game and eventually bring home the winning run in the eighth.

The Bulls took the early lead in the second when senior Britta Giddens led off with a single to center. Junior Cat Olnick laid a bunt down that the Blue Demons misplayed. JoJo Medina followed with a walk to load the bases. Ashley Bullion grounded a ball to the second baseman where she threw the ball away and allowed Giddens and Olnick to cross.

The Blue Demons cut the lead in half in the third on a leadoff double and a fielder's choice.

Junior Melissa Rosas would pinch hit in the fourth and send her second career home run over the left field fence. After  back-to-back singles by Bullion and Laura Fountain, a error allowed the Bulls to score and take a 4-1 lead.

After scoring a run in the fifth and tying up the game with two runs in the seventh, the Blue Demons scored the only run in the eighth to claim the victory.

Senior Cristi Ecks started the game and tossed 5.0 innings, only allowing four hits while striking out two.

Head coach Ken Eriksen used all five Bulls pitchers in the contest.

Senior Bree Spence (4-3) suffered the loss tossing 1.0 innings, walking two and giving up one run. Lauren Frankiewicz (4-1) earned the win tossing all 8.0 innings, striking out three Bulls batters.