Box Score
BOCA RATON, Fla. – The University of North Florida softball team finished closed out the FAU Kick-off Classic on a high note with a 3-2 win against South Carolina in eight innings Sunday.
The victory gave head coach Sonya Wilmoth her 500th career win and was the first for the Lady Ospreys (2-3) versus an SEC opponent.
“Getting my 500th win against an SEC team makes it even sweeter,” Wilmoth said.
Devyn Findley (2-1) did the bulk of the damage for the Lady Ospreys, carrying a no-hitter into the seventh inning before delivering the game-winning RBI in the top of the eighth inning and closing out the victory in the pitching circle in the bottom of the inning.
“Devyn proved she could pitch against anyone today,” Wilmoth said. “She was tough and showed great poise.”
UNF grabbed an early lead against South Carolina – which came into the weekend only two votes away from a spot in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Top 25 Poll. The Lady Ospreys scored a run in the top of the third when Kacie McCloud brought home Caroline Torre with a base hit down the left field line.
The Lady Ospreys appeared to have added an insurance an inning later after Gwen Williams reached on a one-out base hit, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on an Ashley Battaglia base hit.
Laura Mendes finally broke up Findley’s no-hitter in the bottom of the seventh with a one-out double before eventually coming around to score on a hit that brought home two Gamecocks and tied the game 2-2. Both of the runs were unearned thanks to an error that kept the inning alive.
Findley took matters into her own hands in the top of the eighth, bringing home Heather Hyde with a one-out double before setting the Gamecocks down in the bottom of the inning. She gave up only two hits in the game to go along with eight strikeouts and three walks.
UNF is back in tournament action next weekend when it heads to Birmingham, Ala., for the Samford Invitational.