CLEARWATER, Fla. – The University of South Florida softball team defeated the Wagner Seahawks, 10-0, in five innings in the first game for the Bulls on Saturday in the Under Armour Invitational. In eight meetings between the teams, the USF Bulls, who improved to 6-5, have not allowed Wagner, now 0-9 on the year, to score a run.
Rookie Lindsey Richardson got the start and earned her fourth win of the year. She tossed 4.0 innings, allowing two hits and striking out five. In the first inning, she came out firing as she struck out two Seahawks looking in that opening frame.
Sophomore right fielder Gina Kafalas started off the third patient at the plate, earning a leadoff walk to begin the inning. The very next pitch, senior Tara Toscano singled up the middle to bring up hot-hitting Alison Savarese. Savarese doubled down the right field line, bringing Kafalas home for the first run of the game. Sophomore Janine Richardson blooped a single to center, scoring Toscano, to take the early 2-0 lead.
The Bulls continued to find the hole as JoJo Medina lined a double to right center to score Savarese and Richardson. Senior Cat Olnick doubled a ball, the third double in a row for the Bulls, over the left fielder's head to score pinch runner Melanie Stickney and give the Bulls a commanding 5-0 lead, all with nobody out.
Still in the third with two outs, pinch hitter Melissa Rosas singles a shot down the first base line to score Olnick and Grzybek as the Bulls scored seven runs in the inning, the most for the team in one inning this year.
Savarese, the Bulls RBI leader, hit a bases-clearing triple in the top of the fifth to give her four RBI in the game and 15 on the year.
The Bulls forced the Wagner pitchers, Amanda Garcia and Danielle Wagoner, to throw 105 pitches in five innings, allowing six walks.
Senior Kristen Gordon secured the victory, coming in and shutting down the last three Seahawk batters while only tossing eight pitches.
