University of North Florida
Memphis
Softball Falls to Memphis and No. 30 DePaul on Opening Day
2/11/2011 3:19:53 PM | Softball
MIAMI, Fla. – The North Florida softball team opened its season on Friday, Feb. 11, dropping a pair of games to Memphis and No. 30 DePaul on the opening day of the Combat Classic at the FIU Softball Complex. The Tigers took game one with a 3-0 victory in which they did not allow a single Osprey hit. North Florida dropped the second game to the Blue Demons in a 3-0 decision as well.
North Florida (0-2) will return to the diamond on Saturday for two more games. The Ospreys will first take the field at 4 p.m. (ET) with a match-up against No. 22 Ohio State, followed up with a meeting against No. 35 Kentucky at 8 p.m. (ET).
GAME ONE
The Ospreys fell 3-0 to the Memphis Tigers in its season opener Friday morning. The Tiger's sophomore pitcher Carly Hummel tossed a no-hitter, striking out eight, walking four and hitting one batter.
After Memphis took control of the game early with three runs in the first inning, the game became more a pitchers dual. With the bases loaded in the first and only one out, Memphis' designated player Kailey Kassner singled to right, bringing in one run and reloading the bases. Another run would score after surrendering a walk to the Tigers with two outs. The final run, unearned, of the game came on a passed ball.
The Osprey's freshman pitcher Cortney Radke allowed just one hit the rest of the way and no runs.
Despite Hummel's tough time finding the strike zone, the North Florida offense never got going and couldn't take advantage of five walks, finishing the game with five left on base.
Radke struck out five while allowing four walks in her six innings of work debut. Radke gave up just two hits and two earned runs and was tagged with the loss.
GAME TWO
North Florida dropped its second game of the season, 3-0, to No. 30 DePaul, tallying just one hit against the Blue Demons. DePaul's freshman pitcher Kirsten Verdun (1-0) picked up the win by tossing the one-hitter in the first-ever meeting between the two schools, striking out eight with zero walks on the day.
Junior Richelle Raley actually got the start in the circle for the Ospreys, but after loading the bases with only one out, freshman Cortney Radke relieved her to strike out one and get the final out to ground out to second.
In the third inning, DePaul got on the board after a two-run home run by Verdun, helping herself out in the circle as well. The Blue Demons scored the final third run of the day on a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring the runner on third base.
Junior shortstop Kelly Dill notched the lone hit on the day for the Ospreys, batting 1-for-2 with a single up the middle.
Radke (0-2) tallied five more strikeouts to go along with her five from the early game against Memphis, but was once again tagged with the loss.
