Colleges

Reliever lifts Bulls past Tar Heels

By TIMES WIRES
Published May 20, 2006

GAINESVILLE - Freshman Cristi Ecks did not allow a hit in five innings of relief to help USF defeat North Carolina 2-1 on Friday in the NCAA region tournament.

The Bulls face Florida Atlantic, which beat Florida 2-0, at noon today. A victory there puts them into Sunday's final of the double-elimination tournament.

USF loaded the bases with one out in the second on a hit batsman and two walks. Krista Holle blooped an 0-and-2 pitch to right that landed just fair for a run.

After Ashley Bullion struck out, Jessica Landau was hit by a pitch to make it 2-0.

Ecks entered in the third after Bree Spence allowed a homer and walk. She struck out two of the next three to end the threat and allowed one baserunner, a sixth-inning walk, from there.

Jen Musillo struck out 11 for the Owls. The Gators face North Carolina at 2:30 today in an elimination game. If they win, they face the USF-FAU loser at 5 today.

With runners on first and second in the seventh, Kala Guy made it 1-0 with a single down the rightfield line. With runners on first and third during the next at-bat, Guy broke for second. Florida got Marlene Lopez in a rundown, but third baseman Brooke Johnson misplayed a throw to allow the run.

Tiffany McDonald allowed two runs in six innings of relief for the Seminoles. FSU faces host Georgia, a 4-0 winner over Georgia Southern, at noon today.

The Seminoles scored four in the first, highlighted by Brittany Osmon's bases-loaded double that made it 2-0. McDonald entered in the second with the bases loaded and no outs. She struck out her first batter, got a forceout at home on a grounder to second then a groundout to third.

[Last modified May 20, 2006, 01:58:12]