TAMPA, Fla. (3/4/2020) -- The University of Detroit Mercy softball team played in its fifth game in Florida over the spring break on Wednesday, dropping an 8-2 game with the University of South Florida. The Titans, which finished with seven hits in the contest, scored both of their runs on an error in the sixth inning.

Senior hurler Liz Murphy started and pitched the entire game for the Titans (1-17), tossing six innings and striking out five batters, while giving up seven earned runs. Sophomore Taylor Gauthier and senior Jen Lorenz each had doubles for the red, white and blue among their seven hits.

Freshman Reese Ruhlman reached base three times out of four plate appearances overall, getting one hit along with two walks.

Detroit Mercy scored both of its runs in the sixth inning as sophomore Taryn Peru opened the inning with a single. After an out, Lorenz walked and both Lorenz and Kara Wolfbauer -- who pinch ran for Peru -- advanced to second and third on a groundout by Alyssa Lang. Gauthier then reached on an error and both Wolfbauer and Lorenz came across to score the runs. The Titans threatened for more in the inning, with Liz Paver and McKenna Tanguay getting hits, but Gauthier was thrown out at home for the final out of the sixth.

USF scored one in the first, two more in the fourth and four runs in the fifth inning to take a 7-0 lead heading into the sixth, when the Titans scored two.

The Titans are back in action Friday in a pair of contests, playing Bethune-Cookman at 11 a.m. and then North Carolina A&T at 4 p.m. ET in Orlando.