By TOM ZEBOLD

USF Senior Writer

TAMPA - The No. 17 Bulls got hits at the right time and Sara Nevins pitched like an ace the whole way through in USF's 2-1 victory over Villanova in the opener of Saturday's doubleheader.

Nevins (24-4) scattered five hits and struck out seven in a complete game performance while Laura Fountain's RBI single in the sixth proved to be game-winning hit. Ashli Goff drove in USF's first run on with a single in the second inning and the sophomore left fielder wound up going 2-for-3.

USF (42-8, 14-3) has won two straight and stayed within a game of Louisville for first place in the Big East. The Cardinals (45-2, 15-2) started off their doubleheader with a 4-0 victory over Georgetown on Saturday in Kentucky.

Villanova put the pressure on late by scoring its run in the seventh inning, but the Bulls started Saturday's action by getting busy on the bases early.

USF packed the bags with one out in the first inning and found itself in the same situation an inning later when Goff produced the go-ahead hit with a single to left field. Goff collected her sixth multi-hit game of the season.

Nevins didn't allow a hit until there were two outs in the fifth inning when Ali Lowe blooped a single into shallow left field. The hit gave Villanova runners in scoring position after Taylor Olafson, the third batter of the inning, walked but Nevins got Jamie O'Hara to ground out to end the threat.

Nevins gave up another single in the sixth with one out, but she got out of the inning by pitching into a groundout and fly out before the Bulls gave her more support in the bottom half.

Janine Richardson singled through the left side of the infield to lead off USF's at-bat in the sixth and the senior made it to second after Kourtney Salvarola was hit by a pitch. A Jessica Mouse sacrifice advanced the runners and Fountain's single up the middle gave the Bulls their insurance run.

The Wildcats had been quiet at the plate all day until the final frame when Beth Smetana and Amanda Marquez started off the seventh with consecutive singles. Mouse charged a grounder at third base and recorded the first out as the runners advanced to second and third.

Villanova's Lowe, who broke up the no-hit bid, struck again when she doubled to shallow left field to cut the Wildcats' deficit to 2-1 while keeping the pressure on with runners on second and third. USF made sure the comeback stopped there, however, when Nevins struck out Jamie O'Hara and Mouse made a diving catch in foul territory to help the Bulls improve to 27-2 at home this season.

Game 2 of the doubleheader is set for a 4:35 p.m. start back at USF softball stadium.