TAMPA – A grand slam by Cat Olnick and an inside-the-park home run by Janine Richardson triggered the University of South Florida softball team's stomp of the Maine Black Bears, 7-1, in the night cap of the doubleheader.
“I am really happy for both Cat and Janine,” said head coach Ken Eriksen. “Cat has been seeing the ball well, and Janine is getting back on track and working hard.”
In the second inning, sophomore Richardson ripped a shot to right center, speeding around all four bases to get an inside-the-park home run to take a 1-0 lead. That is the first ever inside-the-park home run at the USF Softball Stadium
Senior left fielder Lauren Rodriguez started the third singling down the left field line. Senior Tara Toscano reached first safely on an error with one out. Senior JoJo Medina earned her 111th career walk to load the bases for Olnick. Olnick sent a ball to deep left field, recording her second grand slam of her career. The Bulls took a commanding a 5-0 lead after three innings of play.
“It felt like a hot knife through butter,” said Olnick. “I just wanted to hit the ball hard and down. We are still playing day-by-day and game-by-game.”
After starting and tossing 5.0 innings in game one, sophomore Brittany Bowles earned the start in game two. She hurled another 5.0 innings, not allowing a walk while walking only one.
“Brittany Bowles did a heck of a job,” said Eriksen. “Brittany had to get the start in back-to-back games and really kicking it in game two is a testament to her character.”
In the top of the fifth, an error allowed Maine to push across one run.
Gina Kafalas safely reached first on a slap single to start the fifth. After stealing second, Kafalas reached third after getting safely out of a pickle attempt on a Toscano single. A throwing error on Toscano's steal attempt allowed Kafalas to score the Bulls' sixth run. Medina then lined a single to plate Toscano from second, to take the 7-1 lead.
Senior Kristen Gordon, who has appeared in 13-of-17 games this season, held the Bulls' lead in the second game. The Cocoa, Fla., native finished the game with 2.0 innings of work, striking out one and not allowing a run.
“She (Gordon) is a work horse,” said Eriksen. “In her last four appearances, she's gotten a win, a save and two holds. She is a tough competitor who we can count on. You can tell she is having fun out there; she is such a student of the game.”
The Bulls out hit the Black Bears, 7-6, for their 10th win of the season.
“We beat a really good team,” said Eriksen. “Maine just beat UCF, who knocked off Alabama and Tennessee, where they will be a force in the America East.”
USF will be back in action in the Under Armour Showcase, Friday through Sunday. The third tournament of the USF Series will host 26 teams at Eddie C. Moore Complex in Clearwater, Fla. The Bulls face Long Island and James Madison at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Friday. USF continues play, taking on Fairfield and New Mexico State on Saturday before closing out the tournament against Florida Gulf Coast at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday.
