By: Stephen Hanewinckel

In an all-around team hitting effort, the University of South Florida softball team posted its third straight win as they run-ruled the Long Island Blackbirds 10-2 in five innings Saturday afternoon.

USF busted open a 5-0 lead in the first inning and never looked back. "It sets the tone," head coach Ken Eriksen said. "It can throw the other team off of their game-plan."

Lindsey Richardson earned her first win of the season, striking out five. "She is a competitor," Eriksen said. "That ball was really moving today."

The heart of the order did its job, as senior centerfielder Janine Richardson and sophomore first baseman Stephanie Medina each recorded a pair of hits and drove home two.

"We're deep in respect to having offensive options," Eriksen said. "And a deep lineup is important, but if you can't execute then you don't have anything."

USF struck early as the first four batters crossed the plate in the first. Medina drove in the first two runs with a single to right field, and junior designated player Kenshyra Jackson mirrored Medina with a two-RBI single of her own. Senior catcher Laura Fountain capped off the inning with a triple to the warning track in right-center.

The Bulls manufactured another run in the fourth inning, this time without a hit. Sophomore shortstop Kourtney Salvarola's sacrifice fly brought home sophomore outfielder Ashli Goff, extending USF's lead to six.

Long Island countered in the top of the fifth, starting things off with back-to-back hits. A single up the middle by shortstop Nichole Toven scored the Blackbirds only two runs of the game, but Lindsey Richardson slammed the door, preventing more damage with a strikeout to end the threat.

USF finished things off in the bottom of the fifth, putting four more on the scoreboard, including a game-ending two-run homer from Janine Richardson to put the Bulls' third win in the books.