Parenteau's walk-off leads to pair of wins

Friday, February 29

Jacksonville, Fla.

10 a.m.

University of North Florida

Coastal Carolina

Ashley Parenteau's two-run home run against Coastal was the difference.

2/29/2008 2:52:34 PM | Softball

UNF defeats Coastal Carolina, Virginia in tournament action

Coastal Carolina Box Score

Virginia Box Score

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Ashley Parenteau hit a walk-off home run, while Devyn Findley earned a win and a save for the University of North Florida softball team in a pair of wins at the JU Softball Tournament at Jacksonville University.

Parenteau's walk-off two run home run in the bottom of the eighth gave the Lady Ospreys (11-7) a 2-1 win in its opening game of the day before UNF was able to take advantage of seven Virginia errors in a 6-3 win against the Cavaliers.

Parenteau led UNF with four hits on the day, while Heather Hyde followed her with three.

“We got great pitching all day long and finally hit for our pitchers in the second game,” UNF head coach Sonya Wilmoth said. “This was a good start to the tournament and hopefully we can carry this momentum over to tomorrow.”

Devyn Findley rolled through the opener against Coastal Carolina, not allowing a run until surrendering an unearned run in the eighth inning.

UNF's offense, however, didn't produce a run until the bottom of the eighth. They got all they needed when Parenteau blasted the first pitch she saw over the fence in left-center for her second home run of the year and the game-winner.

Findley worked eight innings in the win, surrendering four hits and striking out nine. The only run she gave up came in the top of the eighth as a result of a throwing error by Caroline Torre.

The Lady Ospreys collected three hits in the win. Kara Rutenbar and Heather Hyde each singled before Parenteau hit her home run in the eighth.

UNF opened the scoring against Virginia in the bottom of the second without the benefit of a hit, taking advantage of two Cavalier errors. Kacie McCloud scored the UNF run from second when Stephany Hall reached on an error. Hall gave UNF a 2-1 advantage after Virginia answered UNF's run in the bottom of the second. Hall's sacrifice fly in the top of the fifth scored Gwen Williams from third.

Parenteau started a four-run rally in the top of the fifth that gave Tori Ahern a 6-1 advantage. Findley drove in the only run of the inning for UNF against a Virginia defense that committed four errors in the frame.

Ahern (4-2) left runners in scoring position in the third, fourth and fifth innings before giving way to Joanna Kurycki, who gave up two unearned runs in the sixth. Findley earned the save – her second of the year – after working a 1-2-3 seventh inning.

The win was the fourth in a row for Ahern who gave up one earned run on seven hits and struck out two.

The Lady Ospreys will take on both Virginia and Stony Brook Saturday to close out the JU Softball Tournament. Action begins at 10 a.m. for the Lady Ospreys.