TAMPA- Thanks to a quick start and solid pitching throughout, the University of South Florida softball team beat Syracuse 7-3 to sweep the double-header against the Orange.
Syracuse entered the weekend with just five losses on the season, but left the USF Softball Stadium with a pair of L's on Saturday.
USF jumped out to an early lead for the second game in a row and was able to hold off the Orange behind 5.1 innings from freshman Sara Nevins who allowed just three runs, two earned, on six hits while striking out eight to earn her team-best eighth win of the year.
The win kept USF perfect in league play and extended their winning streak to four games, tied for the best of the season for USF.
The Bulls got production up-and-down the order as five different Bulls collected a hit including a pair from Janine Richardson who went 2-for-2 from the plate with a run and an RBI.
Freshman Kourtney Salvarola kept her bat going as she went 1-for-2 from the plate with three RBI, two of which came on her team-high sixth home run of the year.
The Bulls continued to put an emphasis on the winning the first inning, and the opening frame had an eerily similar start as game one of the day.
Leadoff hitter Gina Kafalas started things right by reaching first on a bunt, and in the two spot, Ashlii Goff walked putting Kafalas in scoring position
Kourtney Salvarola then laid down a sacrifice bunt, but an error by Saco at first brought home Kafalas and advanced Goff to third. Janine Richardson's single down the leftfield line brought home Goff and put Salvarola on second giving the Bulls the early 2-0 lead.
Leading off again in the third, Kafalas walked to first, and after a strikeout by Ashli Goff, Salvarola drilled a two-run-homer to center-field bringing in Kafalas and extended the lead to four. The Bulls kept the momentum going as Janine Richardson reached first on a bunt and followed up by stealing second.
With two outs and Richardson on second, the Bulls weren't done. Laura Fountain's RBI single brought Richardson home, making USF through three.
The bats kept working for USF in the fourth.
Courtney Goff was hit by a pitch and stole second and Alexis Nowell followed with a walk before Kafalas successfully sac bunted to advance Goff and Nowell. Ashli Goff drew a walk, loading up the bases. Salvarola was up next and sent a fly ball to right field, allowing Goff to score. The Bulls extended their lead even further as Nowell scored on a wild pitch to give USF the 7-0 lead.
After the Orange leadoff hitter reached, Stephanie Watts drilled an two-run homerun over left field wall for her second homerun of the double-header.
The Orange continued to chip away at the USF lead adding another run on an error by Salvarola at third, but Bowles was able to limit the damage keeping the Bulls' lead at 7-3.
Bowles was replaced by Lindsey Richardson in the seventh and Richardson kept the Orange bats quiet the rest of the way giving USF the sweep of the double-header.
