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By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer
TAMPA - Another strong start by Sara Nevins helped the No. 18 Bulls pump their winning streak up to 14 games with one more to go Friday afternoon.
Nevins struck out 11 batters in 6 1/3 innings while Stephanie Medina led a 10-hit attack in the USF softball team's 5-2 home victory over St. John's in the first game of a doubleheader.
Medina went 3-for-3 with an RBI while Kourtney Salvarola and Laura Fountain each added two hits apiece as USF (34-5, 8-0) increased its best start in program history by five games.
Salvarola got the scoring started for USF right away when the sophomore's single to right field sent Medina home with two outs in the first inning.
Stormi Grzbek kept things going in the second with a fielder's choice that plated Ilaura Reeves. The Bulls added one more run before the inning was complete thanks to an RBI double by Medina, who came into the game batting .436 with seven extra-base hits in the past 13 contests.
Jessica Mouse made it 4-0 in the third inning with an RBI single to left field that marked USF's eighth hit of the game after the team came in averaging seven per contest.
USF capped off its scoring with one more run in the sixth with a bases-loaded walk by Kenshyra Jackson. Fountain led off the inning with a single, Alexis Nowell followed with a walk and Medina was intentionally walked two batters later.
Nevins came into the contest with the best ERA in the country at 0.56 and had it bumped up just a bit because of a small rally in the final frame by the Red Storm (14-24, 2-5). Nevins briefly exited the game after starting the inning by allowing two hits.
Freshman Sam Greiner pitched into a groundout that scored Kelsey Moyer and St. John's got its second run on an RBI single by Julia Sanchez with two outs. Nevins came back in and struck out pinch hitter Myriah Rodgers to finish off the Bulls' 21st home win in 23 games this season.
The second game of Friday's doubleheader is set to start at 5 p.m.
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