University of North Florida
GARDNER-WEBB
Lady Ospreys swept at home
4/13/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 13, 2007
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The
normally reliable University of North Florida pitching
staff ran into a hot-hitting Gardner-Webb lineup on
Friday. The end result was the first doubleheader
sweep of the Lady Ospreys this season.
UNF (26-19, 4-6 A-Sun) rallied but couldn't catch
Gardner-Webb (28-20-1, 6-3-1 A-Sun) in an opening-
game 4-3 loss, before staking itself to a 3-0 lead, only
to watch the Bulldogs storm back to win the second
game 6-3.
Gwen Williams had a hand in six of UNF's seven runs
on the day blasting a pair of home runs, while going a
combined 4-for-6 at the plate with five RBIs and three
runs.
UNF's offense failed to keep pace with GWU despite
19 hits in the two games. The Lady Ospreys put
consecutive runners on base only once in the first
game, while leaving five runners in scoring position in
game two. six of UNF's runs came on long balls, with
Kelli Rutenbar collecting the other round-tripper.
Rutenbar helped lead a comeback charge in the first
game after UNF fell in a 4-0 hole behind freshman
Devyn Findley. The UNF lefty surrendered a pair of
runs in the second inning and two more in the third
when Mandy Ward took her deep to left field.
Findley (13-3) lasted five innings, giving up four
earned runs on 10 hits, while striking out five. Those
five strikeouts vaulted her onto UNF's single season
top 10 list for strikeouts. She now has 113 on the
year.
UNF battled back for two runs in the seventh when
Rutenbar reached on a single then scored on a
Williams home run to left. That's all the closer UNF
would get, however, in the 4-3 loss.
Williams, Rutenbar and Findley each had two hits to
lead UNF.
Williams continued her power surge in game two with
a three-run home run to center that started the scoring
in the bottom of the third.
The Bulldogs finally chased UNF starter Katie Brosky
(8-10) in the fifth with Emily Sherrill providing the big
blow on a three run homer to center. Gardner-Webb
added two more runs against Tori Ahern before
Findley finally came in to stop the bleeding. Gardner-
Webb sent 12 batters to the plate in the inning,
scoring all six of its runs in the frame.
The Lady Ospreys pushed across a run in the seventh
on a Heather Hyde RBI single that scored Williams,
but couldn't do any further damage against Alison
Coffey (6-6).
UNF had 11 hits in the game with Hyde, Williams,
Findley and Kara Rutenbar each coming through with
a pair of hits. Williams has now reached base in 15
straight games.
Friday marked the first time UNF has not split an
Atlantic Sun Conference doubleheader this season
and was also the first time the Lady Ospreys have
been swept at home since March 26, 2006. That was
a stretch of 15 doubleheaders prior to Friday.
The Lady Ospreys will try to start another streak on
Saturday when it hosts ETSU at 1 p.m.
