Comeback kids sweep away GSU

Thursday, March 5

Jacksonville, Fla.

4 p.m.

University of North Florida

Georgia Southern

UNF coach Marcie Hickey captured 100th career win Thursday.

3/5/2009 9:54:00 PM | Softball

Rutenbar shines in Hickey's 100th win

By: Shawn LaFata

Game 1 Box Score

Game 2 Box Score

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Kara Rutenbar picked her birthday to have a career night in helping the University of North Florida softball team come from behind to sweep a doubleheader at home against Georgia Southern.

Rutenbar had five hits in two games and drove home six runs to help the Lady Ospreys (8-14) to a 10-4 victory in the opener followed by a 5-4 win in eight innings in game two.

The doubleheader sweep was the first of the season for UNF, which pounded out 21 hits through eight innings and piled up a combined 10 runs after the fifth inning of play.

“We did a good job offensively,” said UNF head coach Marcie Hickey, who won her 100^th career game in the opener. “We were hitting the ball with consistency and hitting it hard. Our hitters came through in clutch situations and this was a good series for us going into conference play this weekend.”

Thirteen of UNF's 15 runs on the day came with two outs, while the team's 10 runs in the opening game were the most in a single game for the Lady Ospreys this season.

Every Lady Osprey in the lineup reached base in the opener and UNF came from behind to post seven runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to win a 10-4 contest.

Airen Payne highlighted the seventh with a home run, while Rutenbar had three hits in the game and drove in four runs.

Georgia Southern overcame a 3-0 deficit in the top of the sixth with four runs, two of which came on a Sam Russo home run. That lead was short lived for the Eagles (7-11) after UNF countered with a pair of runs on an Ashley Battaglia single that found its way through the right side of the Georgia Southern infield. Rutenbar followed that with a single that brought home two runs before Caroline Torre drove home a run with an RBI single.

Payne finally cleared the bases with a two-run home run to left-center. The round-tripper was her first of the year and gave the Lady Ospreys a 10-4 cushion that was enough for starter Devyn Findley.

Findley (2-9) gave up four earned runs in seven innings of work and struck out eight.

Battaglia got the Lady Ospreys on the board in game two with a two-out single in the bottom of the third inning that scored Allyson Bailey, who reached on a fielder's choice and moved to second on a wild pitch.

Shaina Dent (5-2) gave up a pair of home runs – one of those coming after a two-out error – to spot the Eagles a 4-2 lead in the sixth inning. The Lady Osprey answered with one run in the bottom of the sixth before Rutenbar smashed a pitch to center field to lead off the bottom of the seventh, tying the contest 4-4.

Battaglia finally sent everyone home with a base hit up the middle in the bottom of the eighth inning that scored Arianna Godwin from second. Battaglia rivaled Rutenbar's performance, collecting two hits and driving in a pair of runs in each game.

Amanda Moseley also had two hits in each game, helping UNF outhit the Eagles 21-11 on the day.

The Lady ospreys will try to keep the momentum going on Saturday when they open conference play against Campbell at 2 p.m. Fans who cannot make the game can watch it live on ASUN.TV.