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| L - Xanzalari |
4.0 |
7 |
7 |
6 |
5 |
2 |
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TAMPA - The University of South Florida softball team (18-16 overall, 3-0 BIG EAST) swept the Seton Hall Pirates (7-17 overall, 0-6 BIG EAST) with an 8-0 win on Saturday morning to remain perfect in conference play. Freshman
Lindsey Richardson (8-3) recorded her second shutout win while also not allowing an extra base hit in her second straight showing.
"Lindsey once again threw really well," said head coach Ken Eriksen. "She gave us a great opportunity to win the game from the start."
The rookie tossed her fourth complete game, striking out six while scattering four hits and limiting the Pirates to one walk. Once again, Seton Hall failed to touch second base during the game. Richardson has held the opponents from reaching second base in 15.1 straight innings of work.
The Bulls scored a run in every inning and used the eight run-rule in five innings of play. Sophomore Janine Richardson, the Bulls leadoff hitter, scored three of the Bulls eight runs. Sophomore Gina Kafalas was perfect at the plate for the second time in the series, leading the Bulls with two hits and scoring two runs.
"We had some real hard practices this week," said Richardson. "We came out on Thursday and took extra batting practice. We knew what they were going to bring to the table, so we were prepared."
In the first inning, Richardson started the game off with a four-pitch walk. Kafalas laid down a bunt single to put runners on first and second. Both Richardson and Kafalas put themselves in scoring position by stealing second and third. After a Tara Toscano walk, senior JoJo Medina sent a deep fly ball to center, easily scoring Richardson for the Bulls first run. Freshman Stormi Grzybek walked in a run with the bases loaded on a 3-1 offering to give the Bulls a 2-0 lead.
Kafalas also made outstanding defensive plays in the outfield, tying her career high for putouts with four. She tracked down a pair of hits off of the right field wall, holding Seton Hall to singles.
"The speed we have in the outfield right now is amazing," said Eriksen. "The statistics will never really show the importance of the plays in the outfield. Both Janine and Gina scored five runs for us today in the top two spots in the lineup."
The Bulls added two runs in the second inning after a throwing error by Seton Hall scored Kelly McCarver. McCarver led the inning off by getting hit by a pitch and used her quickness to beat out a throw to second by Seton Hall's third baseman on a Richardson hit. Medina roped a single down the left field line plating Richardson extending the Bulls lead 4-0.
With two outs in the third, Grzybek doubled down the left field line. Sophomore Alexis Nowell singled to right center for her first RBI of conference play and give the Bulls a 5-0 lead.
Kafalas started off the fourth beating out a hit to the second baseman. With two outs, Seton Hall intentionally walked senior Alison Savarese. After the Bulls got their second double-steal of the game, senior Cat Olnick sent a liner to the right field wall, bringing home Savarese and Kafalas giving the Bulls the 7-0 lead.
"I was just trying to score runs for my team," said Kafalas. "I came out of the locker room with my shoes tied real tight, focused on winning the series."
Only needing one more run to run-rule Seton Hall, Eriksen brought in junior Kendall Arnold to pinch hit. A .375 hitter in the pinch-hitting role this season, Arnold singled home Richardson from second ending the game.
USF is now eight wins shy of the programs' 1000th victory.
The Bulls continue conference play with its first road series at No. 24/RV Notre Dame. USF will play a doubleheader on Saturday in South Bend, Ind. at noon before closing out the series on Sunday at noon. The Sunday matchup against the Fighting Irish will be televised on CBS College Sports.
