University of North Florida
Anderson (S.C.)
UNF closes tourney with 2 wins
3/19/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 19, 2005
WOODSTOCK, Ga. (March 19, 2005) - The University of North Florida softball team swept a pair of games to close out the Kennesaw State Invitational on Saturday, defeating Catawba 7-0 and Anderson 2-1.
Tori Ahern had her streak of 47 consecutive innings without giving up a run snapped against Anderson, but it didn't stop her from pitching 14 innings and picking up both of UNF's victories.
UNF (23-5) finished the KSU Invitational with a 3-1 record, winning its last three games after opening the weekend with a loss to Alabama Huntsville. The Lady Ospreys have now won 17 of their 18 contests.
"I'm very proud of the weekend we had," UNF head coach Sonya Wilmoth said. "All of our games were important, but the win against Kennesaw [on Friday night] was a big win for us. Tori had a great weekend and we did a good job of situational hitting today."
Ahern (13-2) upped her scoreless innings streak to 44.2 with a dominating performance in the opening game of the day, limiting Catawba to one hit in the victory. Ahern did not allow a base runner until Catawba pitcher Shannon Handy reached with a two-out double in the bottom of the sixth.
She did not allow another runner from there, finishing the game with six strikeouts.
Ahern's offense staked her to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first. Kelli Rutenbar started the scoring with a double down the left field line that brought home a pair of runs. Christina Evans began the inning with a one out double, then moved up when Laura Hanstein singled.
Gwen Williams completed the scoring in the first with an RBI single that scored Rutenbar.
Evans led the Lady Ospreys at the plate with a 3-for-4 game, while Rutenbar had a pair of hits to go along with two runs and two RBIs.
Evans gave North Florida a 4-0 advantage in the second, driving home Randalyn Rogers with her second hit of the day.
Rutenbar led off the third inning with a double and later came around to score on Roger's base hit to right. Rogers finished the game 2-for-3 at the plate with a triple.
Caitlin Miller finally ended the scoring for UNF with a single up the middle in the top of the sixth that brought home Katie Field and Ashley Parenteau.
Anderson started the scoring in UNF's nightcap, pushing a run across in the top of the third inning on a suicide squeeze. UNF, however, took that run back in the bottom of the third when Rutenbar drove Evans home with a sacrifice fly to left.
The Lady Ospreys added the go-ahead run in the bottom of the fourth with a two-out rally. Meagan Hendrix began the rally with a single to right, then came around to score when Parenteau tripled to right center.
Rogers led UNF at the plate in the second game with a 2-for-3 performance.
Anderson threatened to tie the game in the top of the seventh, putting runners at the corners with one out. Ahern worked out of that jam with a pair of strikeouts to end the game. She finished the contest with 10 strikeouts overall and had 27 in 21 innings of work over the tournament.
UNF will square off against Catawba in a doubleheader on Monday before winding up its six-game road trip with a pair of conference games at UNC Pembroke on Tuesday.
