University of North Florida
Florida Atlantic
Tough luck continues
5/1/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 1, 2006
BOCA RATON, Fla. (May 1, 2006) - The
University of North Florida softball team dropped a
pair of games to Florida Atlantic on Monday, losing 5-
4 in the opener of a doubleheader before falling 7-6
in the nightcap.
UNF has now lost four games in a row by one run and
has come up one the losing end of its last seven one-
run games.
Florida Atlantic (28-22, 15-5 A-Sun) pounded out 18
hits in the two games, coming back from a three-run
deficit in the opener before holding off a UNF (28-27,
9-9 A-Sun) comeback bid in the second game.
FAU cracked the scoreboard in the bottom of the
second inning to open the scoring in game one,
before the Lady Ospreys tied it 1-1 in the top of the
third, taking advantage of three errors by FAU third
baseman Jessica Sachs.
UNF broke the 1-1 tie with three runs in the top of
the fifth. Lauren Pulling drove home two of UNF's
runs with a single, while Randalyn Rogers walked with
the bases loaded to give UNF a 4-1 advantage.
That lead was short lived, however, as the Owls
bounced back with four runs in the bottom of the
fifth. Jenna Lopez drove home a pair of those runs
with a single, while Mandie Fishback brought home
the go-ahead runs with a two-out double to left
center.
Musillo (9-7) tied her season highs in both strikeouts
(11) and walks (7). Tori Ahern (9-11) suffered the
loss, throwing five complete innings, allowing five
runs - all earned - on nine hits to go along with five
strikeouts.
Bukovich led FAU's offense with a 3-for-3
performance, while Kelli Rutenbar, Gwen Williams,
Dyann Busse and Pulling each had a hit for the Lady
Ospreys.
FAU started the scoring early in the second game,
pushing across four unearned runs in the opening
inning.
UNF committed seven errors in the doubleheader,
leading to four FAU runs
UNF cut the Owl lead in half in the top of the third
after Jessica Sexton led off the frame with a base hit
and eventually came around to score on a Rutenbar
single to left. Rutenbar made it a 4-2 contest when
she scored on a Williams single to center.
Williams now has a hit in seven of her last nine
contests and four straight.
Florida Atlantic finally chased starter Kelli Pitts (9-7)
with three runs in the bottom of the fifth, as Mandie
Fishback doubled home a run before scoring on a
Christi Houghtaling home run that just squeaked
inside the left field foul pole.
The Lady Ospreys tried to mount a comeback from
there, scoring three runs in the top of the sixth, two
of which came on a Sexton double, and one more on
Pulling's first career home run in the top of the
seventh. UNF had the go-ahead run on first in the
top of the sixth after Rutenbar drew a two-out walk
to load the bases, but couldn't cash in after Meghan
Doonan (7-1) struck out Williams with the bases
loaded in the sixth, then pitched around the Pulling
home run to seal the victory.
Sexton led offense in game two, finishing 2-for-2
with a double, a run and two RBIs.
The Lady Ospreys will close out their inaugural
Division I season when they travel to Stetson on
Thursday for a doubleheader that begins at 6 p.m.
