University of North Florida
Jacksonville
Parenteau hits
two game winners
4/20/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 20, 2006
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Ashley Parenteau hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 10th to lead the University of North Florida to a 5-3 win against Jacksonville University in the first game of a doubleheader at the UNF Softball Complex.
The Lady Ospreys completed the sweep in the SunTrust River City Rivalry in game two with a 5-1 victory.
Parenteau homered in the nightcap as well, finishing the day a combined 3-for-7 with three runs and five RBIs.
"This was an emotional day," said UNF head coach Sonya Wilmoth, who helped honor four of her departing seniors between games. "We got timely hitting again. I thought both teams played well."
JU and the Lady Ospreys traded single runs in the first two innings of play in the opener, before Tori Ahern and Katie Dobson settled into a pitchers' duel. The score remained tied 2-2 until Ashley Houston scored on a sacrifice bunt in the bottom of the 10th to give the Lady Dolphins a 3-2 advantage.
That set the stage for Parenteau in the bottom of the 10th. With a runner on second and one out, Christina Evans reached on a Lindsay Freitag throwing error to put runners at first and third. Parenteau ended the contest one batter later when she drilled a ball over the left field wall.
"I told Ashley before her at-bat she had two choices. Either drive the ball to the gap in right-center or hit it over the fence," Wilmoth said. "She obviously chose the second option."
Ahern (9-9) earned the complete-game win, while Dobson (9-15) suffered the loss.
The opener was delayed 46 minutes in the top of the sixth because of lightning, extending the game to three hours. Game two did not start until after 9 p.m.
When it did start, Parenteau scored the first two UNF runs, crossing the plate thanks to a JU error in the first inning of play before extending her hitting streak to 11 games with her second home run of the doubleheader. The solo home run gave the Lady Ospreys a 2-1 advantage and turned out to be her second game-winning home run of the evening.
Parenteau capped off a three run bottom of the fourth with a sacrifice fly that scored Jessica Sexton to give the Lady Ospreys a 5-3 advantage.
Kelli Pitts (9-5) finished out her final game at the UNF Softball Complex with a complete-game win, allowing seven hits, while striking out seven. She gave up one unearned run in the third inning, then worked her way out of a one out, bases-loaded jam in the top of the fourth, not allowing a run.
Kelli Rutenbar added to UNF's offensive cause with a 1-for-3 performance that included a run and an RBI, while Caitlin Miller was 1-for-4 with an RBI.
Jillian Millante had three hits in the opener for the Lady Dolphins, while adding a hit and a run to her totals in game two.
Pitts, Dyann Busse, Alisha Phillips and Kelli Richards were all honored between games of the doubleheader as part of the senior day festivities at the UNF Softball Complex. The season does not end for that group, however, as the Lady Ospreys return to action on April 29 when they travel to Kennesaw State for a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.
