UNF splits pair of shutouts

Friday, March 24

Jacksonville, Fla.

TBA

University of North Florida

ETSU

3/24/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball

March 24, 2006

Game 1 Box

Game 2 Box

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (March 24, 2006) - UNF senior Kelli Pitts worked both ends of a doubleheader Friday at the UNF Softball Complex against East Tennessee State to help give the Lady Ospreys a split in their Atlantic Sun opener.

Pitts worked 1.1 innings of relief in the opener before throwing a complete-game shutout in the nightcap. ETSU won game one 4-0, while the Lady Ospreys (16- 15, 1-1 A-Sun) prevailed 1-0 in game two.

"Kelli Pitts pitched well," UNF head coach Sonya Wilmoth said. "She kept the ball down in the second game. We still aren't hitting the ball as well as we need to in order to compete in this conference."

ETSU (8-21, 1-3 A-Sun) got the scoring started in game one when Briana Knight tripled to right-center, driving home Stephanie Gaynord. Knight scored one batter later on a sacrifice fly.

The Lady Buccaneers added one more to the total in the top of the sixth when Stephanie Cope tripled with two outs, then scored on a Caitlin Zyskowski single. ETSU added one more in the seventh to complete the scoring.

Courtney Jenkins (2-8) earned the win, while Tori Ahern (4-7) suffered the loss.

Gwen Williams led the Lady Ospreys at the plate with a 1-for-2 performance. Kelli Rutenbar, Lauren Pulling and Amy Higgs also collected a hit for UNF.

Pitts got all the offense she needed in the fifth inning of game two when Randalyn Rogers doubled to left field to bring home Caitlin Miller, who reached on a one-out double.

Pitts (6-3) worked her way out of trouble all day long, as she stranded seven runners in scoring position, including Stephanie Gaynord, who was left at third when Pitts struck out Briana Knight to end the game. ETSU also put runners in scoring position in the first four innings, but couldn't push a run across. Pitts retired six of the last seven hitters she faced, allowing five hits in all and striking out five.

Gaynord and Zyskowski each had a pair of hits for ETSU, while Miller was 2-for-2 with a run scored for UNF. Rogers and Ashley Parenteau also had a hit for UNF.

UNF continues play in the Atlantic Sun on Sunday when it hosts former Peach Belt Conference - and current A-Sun - rival Kennesaw State for a 1 p.m. doubleheader.