Ospreys Split Two Games in A-Sun Opener At Stetson

Wednesday, March 17

DeLand, Fla.

5:00:00 PM

University of North Florida

Stetson

3/17/2010 7:44:42 PM | Softball

By: Andrew Hopkins, UNF Athletics

Box Score 1

Box Score 2

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The University of North Florida softball team split its opening Atlantic Sun Conference doubleheader Wednesday at Stetson.

The Ospreys won game one, 3-1, before dropping the second game 1-0.

The Ospreys (11-16, 1-1 A-Sun) got to work early in the first game against Stetson pitcher Amanda Lindsey, who was third in the Atlantic Sun Conference in ERA (0.88). UNF loaded the bases in the first inning with the help of Britanie Block and junior Caroline Torre's base hits to right field and senior Devyn Findley's hit up the middle.

With bases loaded, senior Airen Payne came through big for North Florida scoring an RBI and her third hit in three games on a liner between first and second. Payne on the day went 3-for-6 with one RBI. Senior Kara Rutenbar followed her fellow senior with another base hit to bring home Torre for the 2-0 lead.

Lindsey split the score to 2-1 with a solo home run to centerfield just over the out-stretched glove of sophomore Ariana Godwin in the bottom of the second. Later in the fifth inning and sixth innings, the Hatters (16-12, 1-1 A-Sun) threatened with runners in scoring position but Findley was able to end the innings with a fly out and a strike out, respectively, to hold Stetson to their lone run in the game.

In the top of the seventh, with Lindsey relieved by Hatters' Courtney Gunby, the Ospreys helped preserve their lead with a lead off-walk that was soon followed by Godwin's sacrifice bunt, moving Block into scoring position, before an RBI double by Torre put them ahead by 3-1.

Findley (9-8), who only allowed two hits through six innings, allowed a hit and two walks to load the bases with two outs, before she was relieved by sophomore Shaina Dent to strike out Stetson pinch hitter Megan Voeller for her first save of the season.

In the second game both team's pitchers would go the distance with the Ospreys' starting pitcher Dent (2-8) tossing five scoreless innings until the seventh when the Hatters would bring home the only run they would need in the sixth.

For Stetson, Nicole Peltz received her second straight win, allowing six hits, no runs and registering 10 K's in the Ospreys' loss.

After a quiet four innings, in the top of the fifth with one out, sophomore Alyson Bailey hit a liner off the right field fence, but it would be for nothing with UNF stranding their fifth runner in five innings.

In the bottom of the sixth inning the Hatters, with the help of an Osprey wild pitch and a throwing error, was able to break the shutout with pitcher Peltz driving in the runner on third with a fielder's choice that UNF would not be able to stop from scoring with a close play at the plate to take the 1-0 advantage.

In the top of the seventh the Ospreys made great contact with a shot at the third baseman and a liner to right field but both were gobbled up by the Stetson defense.

The Ospreys will now travel to Tampa, Fla. to play in the USF Tournament on Friday-Sunday, March 19-21. The Ospreys face Dartmouth at 4 p.m. on Saturday, followed by FAMU at 6 p.m., for the fourth time this season. Saturday's games will consist of Maryland at noon, followed by No. 16 (NFCA Top 25 Poll) Ohio State at 3 p.m. The final day of the tournament will be on Sunday with a game against Long Island University at 11 a.m.