University of North Florida
Belmont
Offense explodes in Nashville finale
3/28/2009 6:42:00 PM | Softball
Battaglia slugs four doubles on the day
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The University of North Florida's slumbering offense finally came to life in the second game of a doubleheader to salvage a split at Belmont in Atlantic Sun Conference play Saturday afternoon.
After scoring one run in 21 innings, UNF exploded for six runs in the top of the third inning Saturday to bring home a win in its final of four contests in
Ashley Battaglia added to her league leading doubles total with four doubles on the day, including three in the second game. Battaglia drove home five runs on the day and collected five hits overall. Caroline Torre also chipped in with three hits, while Amanda Moseley had a pair of hits in the second game.
UNF's 13 runs in game two were the most the team has scored this season in a single game.
Battaglia collected her second hit of the afternoon to begin the scoring in game two, driving home Brittanie Block with an RBI single. Arianna Godwin also came into score on the play thanks to a
The Lady Ospreys kept pouring it on after that, scoring six runs in the inning to take an advantage the team would not surrender. Along with Battaglia, Moseley and Torre each drove in runs with RBI singles, while Alyson Bailey and Block were each credited with RBIs after reaching with the bases loaded to force runs in. UNF pounded out five hits in the inning – all singles – to go along with its six runs.
UNF sent 11 more hitters to the plate in the top of the sixth to finally wrap up the scoring, posting seven runs in the frame with Moseley doubling home one run and Battaglia bringing home three with a bases loaded double to wrap up the scoring. Battaglia had two doubles in the inning and now has 21 on the season.
Shaina Dent (9-5) earned the complete-game win, surrendering four hits and striking out five.
UNF scored its first run in 19.1 innings in its trip to
That lead was short lived, however, after
The loss was the second one-run loss for Findley (8-13) on the trip, despite the fact that she allowed only three runs in 13.2 innings.
Findley – who broke the all-time UNF strikeout record on Friday at Lipscomb – added to her career totals with nine strikeouts in the contest. She now has 557 on her career, topping the old mark of 541 set by Trish Davis.
UNF put together one final rally in the seventh when Torre reached on a double with one out. Nicolette Chimato came on to pinch run for her and advanced to third on a Bailey groundout but was stuck there to end the contest.
UNF is back on the field Wednesday evening at 6 p.m. for a SunTrust River City Rumble showdown at cross-town rival
