By TOM ZEBOLD

USF Senior Writer

TAMPA, FEB. 15, 2015 – USF set a school record by exploding for 11 runs in the third inning of an 11-0, five-inning rout of Florida Gulf Coast on Sunday afternoon.

USF sent 16 batters to the plate during the nine-hit inning with Astin Donovan, D'Anna Devine and Kristen Wyckoff each posting two hits apiece in the big frame for the Bulls (6-4).

“Once you get that turn in our batting order with the 8, 9, 1, 2, that's nothing but pure speed ready to go. Especially if Astin (Donovan) is leading off, I feel the need for speed,” head coach Ken Eriksen said. “If we can get those people on base like that we're a tough team.”

Wyckoff went 2-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs scored from the leadoff spot and eight different Bulls recorded at least one hit. Donovan and Devine each went 2-for-2 with two runs scored from the eighth and ninth spots in the batting order.  Juli Weber and Lee Ann Spivey also posted two RBIs apiece while Veronica Gajownik also drove in a run during the historic inning.

Karla Claudio finished off the USF Presidents Day Weekend Tournament with her first-career win after striking out four and giving up two hits in three scoreless innings. Sam Greiner scattered three hits in two innings before Claudio came in as a reliever.

“After last night I was definitely tired and I wasn't trying to do too much. I was relaxed out there and I was just doing what I know how to do,” said Claudio, who has 19 strikeouts in 16.2 innings this season.

The Bulls look to keep a good thing going next weekend at the USF Wilson DeMarini Tournament back at USF Softball Stadium. USF faces Auburn on Friday, Feb. 20 at 2:45 p.m. and finishes up the first day of action with a test against Marshall at 5 p.m. The Bulls take on Dartmouth on Saturday, Feb. 21 at 12:15 and the tournament championship takes place Sunday, Feb. 22 at 11:30 a.m. Purchase tickets HERE.