University of North Florida
Armstrong Atlantic State
Offense leads sweep of AASU
4/18/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 18, 2006
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (April 18, 2006) - The University of North Florida softball team continued to swing a hot set of bats in a doubleheader sweep of Armstrong Atlantic State on Tuesday at the UNF Softball Complex.
The Lady Ospreys (26-23) came from four runs down in the opener to win 7-4 before jumping out to a 6-1 lead in the nightcap and never looking back, eventually winning the contest 8-4.
UNF has averaged six runs in its last four contests, while pounding out 11 hits in both ends of the AASU doubleheader.
Christina Evans led UNF's offensive charge with three hits on the afternoon, including her first career home run, while Katie Brosky came on for an inning of relief to earn the save in the opener before pitching six innings to earn the win in the nightcap.
UNF came storming back from a 4-0 deficit on the first game, scoring six runs in the bottom of the third, which led to a 7-4 victory. Caitlin Miller got the scoring started with an RBI double before Lauren Pulling knocked in a run with a base hit. Jessica Sexton provided the big blow in the inning with a bases-loaded triple that scored three and gave the Lady Ospreys a 6-4 advantage.
Evans capped the scoring with a home run down the left field line that gave UNF a 7-4 lead.
Kelli Pitts (8-5) ran into some trouble early after her defense committed three errors behind her, leading to all four of Armstrong Atlantic State's runs. Pitts settled down after allowing three of those runs in the third, and retired the next nine hitters she faced before Danielle Bertram reached on a single to lead off the sixth.
AASU (34-23) collected eight hits against Pitts, led by Amber Hunt and Rachel Koening-Eng, who each had a pair.
Brosky came on in the seventh inning to nail the door shut on the Pirates and earn her second save of the season. Koening-Eng (10-8) suffered the loss for AASU.
Miller was 3-for-3 with an RBI and a run, while Evans and Sexton each had a pair of hits in the opener.
UNF started the scoring early in the second game, jumping on top 1-0 in the first inning of play on a Gwen Williams single that drove home Kelli Rutenbar, who reached on a single of her own, stole second and moved to third on an Evans groundout.
Koening-Eng tied the game with a sacrifice fly in the top of the second, scoring Ashley Bain.
Williams put the Lady Ospreys back on top in the bottom of the third with a three run home run to left- center. The homer was her third of the season, with all three coming at the UNF Softball Complex. UNF added two more to its total in the fourth on an Evans sacrifice fly and a Parenteau single that drove home Rutenbar.
Parenteau, who had a base hit in the first game as well as two hits in the nightcap, extended her hitting streak to nine games.
Each teams added two runs in the sixth inning before AASU tapped Tori Ahern for an unearned run in the seventh.
Brosky (9-8) earned the win in the nightcap, while Heather Woods (11-9) suffered the loss.
The Lady Ospreys return to action Wednesday night at 6 p.m. when they host Jacksonville University in the final installment of the SunTrust River City Rumble. Fans who cannot make it to the game can listen to the action live at www.unfospreys.com.
"The way we hit the ball today should give us confidence heading into tomorrow's games," Rutenbar said.
Pitts, Dyann Busse, Alisha Phillips and Kelli Richards will all be honored between games as part of Wednesday's senior day activities.
