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TAMPA - A bases clearing triple by Janine Richardson was not enough as the University of South Florida softball team fell, 4-3, to the Cornell Big Red in 11 innings.
"We had tremendous focus for the first game today," said head coach Ken Eriksen. "It's really amazing how much the energy went down in the second game."
With the regulation seven innings of play not enough for either team, Cornell scored the only run in extras in the 11th.
Starter Capri Catalano tossed the first 4.2 inning earning a no-decision. She gave up three runs on four hits, walking two and striking out five.
Reliever Brittany Bowles (3-6) took the loss hurling the last 6.1 innings, scattering three hits, while striking out seven.
For the second game in a row, Cornell put across the first run. Erin Keene singled through the left side to start the third inning. A hit-by-pitch to Izzy Pinnes and another single by Cornells' Alyson Intihar allowed Keene to easily touch home. Catalano retired the next three Big Red batters to end the inning, striking out two.
Cornell extended its lead, scoring two more runs in the top of the fifth.
The Bulls quickly tied it up, when Richardson hit a bases loaded triple to make it 3-3. Freshman Stormi Grzybek earned a leadoff walk to start the Bulls rally. Sophomore Gina Kafalas slapped a single to left field and pinch hitter Kendall Arnold walked to load the bases. Richardson smoked a ball to the left center wall, scoring all three runners.
"The reason why Janine is doing well right now is because she cares," said Eriksen.
After four scoreless innings, the International Tiebreaker rule came into effect in the 10th inning. The Big Red placed Pinnes on second, who Cornell believed was the last out. After a sac bunt moved Pinnes to third, Eriksen argued that Pinnes was an illegal player due to the wrong player placed on second. Pinnes was called out and ejected for the second out of the game. The discussion took a half hour of the three-hour and 10-minute game.
In the bottom of the 10th, the Bulls threatened to end the game with a runner on third and one out, but a nice sliding catch by Cornell's centerfielder and a clutch strikeout on Savarese by Lauren Marx forced another inning.
With two outs in Cornell's half of the 11th inning, Devon March singled through the right side to score Elise Menaker, who stood on third, and take a 4-3 lead.
The Bulls failed to score in the home half of the 11th, falling to 15-16 on the year.
Senior Ashley Bullion played in her last game in a USF softball uniform, as she started but was taken out after the first pitch. She is having hip surgery next week and will be unable to complete the season. She is only one of five Bulls to have 1,000 putouts in her career. Her 1,175 is good for fourth place on USF's all-time career putout list.
USF opens BIG EAST play against Seton Hall on Friday April 2, with a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m. The Bulls conclude the series on Saturday with an 11 a.m. start time.
