By: Stephen Hanewinckel

TAMPA -   One day after Stephanie Medina decided the game on the final pitch, junior designated player Kenshyra Jackson sent the University of South Florida softball team to a win on the wings of her own home run.

The Bulls used a late rally in the seventh and a walk-off homer from Jackson in the eighth, sending No. 24 USF (25-5 overall) to its first extra-inning victory of the season. USF defeated the University of Massachusetts 2-1 at the USF Softball Stadium Monday night on the game-ending blast to left field.

The Bulls trailed in the seventh, and were down to their final strike before tying the game at 1-1. Freshman second basemen D'Anna Devine began a bases loaded rally, working a two-out walk in the seventh.

Senior outfielder Gina Kafalas followed with a soft liner to left field, and sophomore outfielder Ashli Goff loaded the bases with another walk. On an 0-2 count, first basemen Stephanie Medina watched a wild pitch hit the back stop, scoring Devine as she slid just under the tag.

"I told D'Anna when it was 0-2, watch the wild pitch right here, she is just about to launch one," head coach Ken Eriksen said. "The more we persevere, the more we put ourselves into position, the better chance we will get that lucky break, and tonight that was the wild pitch."

UMass (11-9) would threaten in the eighth inning with one out and the bases loaded, but freshman Sam Greiner worked out of the jam, starting a pitcher-to-home-to-first double-play, ending the inning.

Jackson wasted little time leading off the bottom of the eighth, pounding her third home run on the season, sending the Bulls to their second on-field celebration in two days.

The Bulls continue play at the USF Softball Stadium with a doubleheader Wednesday against Hartford and North Texas. The first game begins at 5 p.m.