CLEARWATER, Fla. (Feb. 19, 2016)-- The USF softball team split opening day at the Michele Smith Invitational, picking up a win over Fordham, before falling to No. 3 Auburn. Though the Bulls are 2-5 on the season, three of the losses have come to the top three teams in the nation. 

Game 1: USF 11, Fordham 2
The Bulls' bats came to life in the first game of the day as the team needed just five innings to run-rule the Fordham Rams, 11-2, at the Eddie C. Moore Complex.

The scoring started early as the Bulls tacked on three runs in the top of the first inning. Juli Weber led off by reaching on a Fordham error, before coming home on a Lauren Evans RBI single. A double by Lee Ann Spivey plated Evans and Mia Fung singled to bring home Spivey.

The third inning broke open the game as the Bulls plated five runs. Before an out could be recorded, USF strung together five straight hits to bring the score to 5-0. A Morgan Litchfield sacrifice fly brought home a third run, before Evans doubled to plate two and make it 8-0 after three.

In the fourth, Cassidy Boyle scored on a Kassie Moeller RBI single to make it 9-0 and put the run-rule into effect. Fordham would strike for two runs in the home half, but USF would answer back in the fifth.

Weber stole home after reaching on another error and coming around on Evans' third hit of the night. Lindsey Devitt recorded a pinch-hit RBI single to plate the final run of the day and give USF the 11-2 advantage.

Freshman Cheyenne Eggens earned her second win of the season in her first start. Eggens gave up just two runs on four hits, striking out four and walking just one. Evans went 3-for-3 at the plate with two runs and three RBIs.  

Game 2: Auburn 6, USF 0
In game two of the day, the Bulls' bats went cold as they fell, 6-0, to the third-ranked Auburn Tigers. Despite a pitchers duel through the first three innings, USF couldn't hang on to get the upset.

Auburn struck first in the third inning on an RBI single by Jordan.  The Tigers used two multi-run innings late in the game to extend their lead. In the fourth, the Tigers plated three runs on four hits and then added two more in the fifth.

Erica Nunn took the loss in her fourth start of the season, giving up four runs, one earned, on seven hits. The senior went 2-for-3 at the plate in an attempt to help her own cause. Susan Wysocki and Emily Gaitan each threw an inning, with Wysocki giving up two runs on one hit and Gaitan working a clean slate.

Makayla Martin threw the complete game shutout, striking out four in her second win of the season.

The Bulls will be back in action for the final day of the Michele Smith Invitational tomorrow when they face Oklahoma State and Tennessee. USF will face OSU at 2:45 p.m., with the Tennessee game immediately after at 5 p.m.