TAMPA, FEB. 27, 2016 – In an unconventional doubleheader, the USF softball team split a pair of games with the Wisconsin Badgers to improve to 6-8 on the season while Wisconsin dropped to 6-7 on the year.

The Bulls, winners of their first two tournament games, automatically earned the No. 1 seed in the round-robin style tournament. The Badgers lost their first two games, and earned the automatic No.4 seed.

Trailing 9-2 in game one, the Bulls began to put together a rally in the seventh inning, but fell just short in a 9-5 setback.

It was a tie game after two innings as the Badgers struck on an RBI single in the first and the Bulls used an unearned run from Sam Worrell in the second. Wisconsin scored eight unanswered runs between the third and sixth innings to take a 9-1 lead.

The Badgers plated two runs apiece in the third and fourth innings and broke open the game in the sixth with a four run inning.

USF answered in the bottom of the sixth inning as Mo Santos singled to drive home Mia Fung. In the seventh, the Bulls plated three runs on a Lauren Evans two-RBI triple and a Lee Ann Spivey sacrifice fly. The comeback ultimately fell short on a fly ball to centerfield, stranding two Bulls on the base paths.

Just 30 minutes later, the Bulls would face the Badgers once again, this time with a very different result. A six-run second inning, fueled by two home runs, and a walk-off home run from Spivey would lead USF to a 10-2, five-inning victory.

Senior pitcher Erica Nunn gave up two early runs on three straight hits, but settled in to retire the next 12 batters she faced, picking up six strikeouts in the effort. The two runs were the only given up by USF pitchers as Cheyenne Eggens tallied no hits and one strikeout in 2/3 innings of relief

Trailing 2-0, the Bulls proceeded to plate six runs in the second inning and never looked back. With one out, Santos hit her first home run of the season and ninth of her career to cut the Badger's lead in half. After Cassidy Boyle reached on an error and Kristen Wyckoff walked, Juli Weber hit her fourth career home run to give the Bulls the 4-2 lead.

The scoring didn't stop there as Astin Donovan singled and Evans and Spivey each recorded an RBI double to give USF a 6-2 lead after two innings. Evans recorded a second RBI in the third inning on a sac fly, plating Wyckoff and making it a five-run game.

In what would become the final inning of the game, the Bulls used a two-out rally to earn a run-rule victory. Weber singled and advanced to third on a groundout before coming home on an Evans single. Evans also scored on the play as an error by the Badger's centerfielder allowed her to come all the way around the bases.

Spivey followed with her first home run of the season to give USF the walk-off win, the Bulls' third in their last four games. Spivey is now just 11 runs away from tying the USF career home run record.

The Bulls will be back in action tomorrow morning at 11:15 against the winner of Saturday night's UNLV vs. Kansas game.

Be sure to follow USF softball on social media (Twitter / Facebook / Instagram) and visit GoUSFBulls.com for the most up-to-date information. The Bulls open the 2015 season on Friday, Feb. 12, at 2:15 p.m. against South Carolina at the USF Softball Stadium. Get your season tickets and mini plans HERE. The USF softball program has been one of the most successful on campus, making 12 NCAA tournament appearances, including a trip to the Women's College World Series in 2012.

- #GoBulls –