University of North Florida
Mercer
Comeback leads to doubleheader split
3/15/2008 7:26:09 PM | Softball
Lady Ospreys makeup four-run deficit
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The University of North Florida softball team appeared dead in the water and destined for a doubleheader sweep at the hands of Mercer on Saturday at the UNF Softball Complex.
That is until
“Our team was tired and physically drained today,” UNF head coach Sonya Wilmoth said. “We have played 12 games in the last eight days. I just asked them between games to give me their best effort in game two. I really appreciated the fight they showed, I think that was very telling of this team.”
UNF held an early 2-1 lead in the nightcap, but fell behind 5-2 after an Ashley Anderson three-run home run to right field. Page Raynor drove home Crystal Condra with an RBI single in the top of the seventh giving the Bears a 6-2 advantage that seemed like more than enough for Mercer starter Jenni Holtz.
Holtz got herself into trouble in the bottom of the sixth when she hit Heather hyde to lead off the inning. Ashley Battaglia followed with a single between the shortstop and third baseman two hitters before Williams drove her seventh home run of the season over the right field fence to make it a 6-5 game. Natalie Jones took the ball for Mercer after that, but couldn't stop the UNF rally, walking a pair of UNF hitters before hitting Stephanie Luciani to load the bases. Holtz came back in the game after that, but hit Ashley Parenteau with the first pitch she threw, forcing home a run that tied the game 6-6.
Devyn Findley, who came on in relief of starter Tori Ahern in the fourth inning, worked around a runner in scoring position to get UNF out of the top of the seventh, setting the stage for the Lady Osprey offense in the bottom of the inning.
The final inning of play started innocent enough for Holtz, who recorded the first two outs before throwing away a potential third out after Williams bounced a ball back to her in the circle. The error allowed Williams to advance to second. Pulling finally finished Mercer off with a single to left that dropped in front of Holly Oglesbee and scored Williams from second.
Williams led UNF at the plate with a 2-for-3 game that included a pair of runs and three RBIs.
Findley (10-7) gave up only one run in four innings of work to earn the win.
The sophomore threw a complete game in the opener, but suffered a loss after her offense hung her out to dry, leaving 11 runners on base in a 4-1 defeat. UNF was 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position, with Findley driving in the only Lady Osprey run of the game with an RBI single in the first inning.
Mercer took a 3-1 advantage in the top of the second, scoring those runs without the benefit of a hit. Findley walked and hit a batter in the inning, while her defense committed a pair of errors behind her.
Findley did not allow a hit until the fifth inning. She allowed one more run to cross in the seventh and finished the game with 10 strikeouts and five hits allowed.
Along with Findley, Kara Rutenbar, Heather Hyde and Battaglia all had a hit for UNF. Jena Ellis led Mercer with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate, while Lacey Richardson (8-4) earned the win after coming into the game with one out in the first inning and surrendering only two hits.
