CLEARWATER, Fla. (Feb. 18, 2017)-- USF improved its record to 6-3 on the season, picking up a pair of wins in the final day of the Michele Smith Pediatric Cancer Foundation Tournament. The Bulls earned a 7-5 win over Hofstra before taking down Oklahoma State, 12-4. 

GAME ONE: USF 7, HOFSTRA 5

A five-run sixth inning propelled USF to a 7-5 victory over Hofstra to begin the final day of the Michele Smith Pediatric Cancer Foundation Tournament. The Bulls would start two hours behind schedule due to rain, but didn't let the delay affect them.

Tied at 2-all after five complete, the Bulls' offense started clicking.  With one out, Astin Donovan singled and advanced to second on a Hofstra throwing error. Bethaney Keen's second hit of the day would drive in Donovan to break the tie.

A single, walk and fielder's choice would load the bases with three outs for pinch-hitter Kassie Moeller. Moeller would clear the bases on a three-RBI double, making it a 6-2 game.

USF would tack on one more run on a Morgan Gross RBI-single, plating Lindsey Devitt. Four of the five runs in the inning came in with two outs on the board.

Hofstra would make the game interesting in the bottom half of the frame, plating a pair on a two-run home run.  The Pride would also plate a run in the seventh, but Hannah Parker would get a huge strikeout to end the game, giving USF the 7-5 victory.

The Bulls jumped to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning on Keen's second home run of the season.

Hofstra would use a pair of RBI singles in the first and third innings to tie the game at two-all.

Cheyenne Eggens picked up her second win of the year, throwing 3.2 innings and allowing three earned runs. Parker would earn the save in 1.0 inning of work.

GAME TWO: USF 12, OSU 4

A seven-run fourth, highlighted by Lindsey Devitt's first career grand slam gave USF a 12-4 run-rule victory over Oklahoma State in six innings. 

The fourth inning began with three straight singles and a bases loaded walk to Kelsey Lay to drive in the first run of the inning. Two more would come in on an error and groundout, making it a 7-4 game.

The highlight of the inning would be Devitt's first career grand slam. The sophomore turned on a 0-1 pitch, launching the ball well over the wall in left field to push the USF lead to 11-4.

Devitt would plate another run in the sixth on an RBI double, her fifth RBI of the night.

The Bulls jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second inning off the bats of Gross and Cassidy Boyle.

Back-to-back singles from Lauren Evans and Samantha Worrell put two on with no outs, and a perfect bunt from Devitt would move the pair in scoring position.

Gross would single through the left side, plating the pair. One batter later, Boyle tripled to center field, plating Gross and making it a 3-0 game.

In the third inning, Worrell singled home Donovan to push the Bulls lead to four runs.

OSU would respond in the third inning, plating four runs. Back-to-back doubles would plate a pair, before two wild pitches would tie the game.

The Bulls are back in action Wednesday, Feb. 22, when they welcome Eastern Michigan to the USF Softball Stadium. 

Be sure to follow USF softball on social media (Twitter / Facebook / Instagram) and visit GoUSFBulls.com for the most up-to-date information. 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. USF returns 15 players from the 2016 squad that advanced to the NCAA Tournament, including American Athletic Conference Player of the Year, Juli Weber, first-team all-conference selection Lauren Evans, and second-team selections Astin Donovan and Kristen Wyckoff.

- #GoBulls –