University of North Florida
Maine
Softball Splits on Day Two of UCF/Courtyard by Marriott Invitational II
2/26/2011 2:44:18 PM | Softball
Game One (Maine) Box Score ::: Game Two (UMKC) Box Score
ORLANDO, Fla. – The North Florida softball team (5-9) split its two games on Saturday morning, Feb. 26, at the UCF/Courtyard by Marriott Invitational II at the UCF Softball Complex. The North Florida squad took care of first opponent, Maine (3-5), with a score of 5-2 before falling in a tough battle to UMKC (9-3), 5-3, in the back-to-back games.
The Ospreys wrap up tournament play against host UCF on Sunday at 1 p.m. in the squad's only game for the day.
GAME ONE
North Florida plated a season-high five runs on six hits, including a school-record tying three triples in the game to drop Maine, 5-2, in the early game on Saturday. Freshman pitcher Cortney Radke (4-6) went the distance for the Ospreys, pitching a complete game and striking out six.
Radke fanned six Black Bears in the game and walked none, while allowing just two runs – one earned – on five hits.
The Ospreys scored first, plating two in the second inning, and never gave up the lead. In the action-filled second, the first run came after senior Caroline Torre hit a sacrifice fly to left field with the bases loaded and no outs. The Ospreys plated its second of the frame on another sacrifice fly by junior Chie Someya.
North Florida plated another run in both the third and fifth to take a 4-0 lead over Maine. The Black Bears cut the lead to two in the bottom of the fifth with two runs, making the score 4-2.
The Ospreys grabbed back the momentum immediately, however, scoring another run in the sixth to go up 5-2.
Torre, along with junior Kaley Brosky and freshman Brittany Hendrix, all picked up triples in the game to tie a team school record for most triples in a game. The feat was last completed by the Ospreys' squads on March 28, 2007 and Feb. 22, 2006.
Maine's hurler Kylie Sparks (1-1) was tagged with her first loss of the year, working 5 2/3 innings, allowing five runs – three earned – on six hits, one walk and no strikeouts.
GAME TWO
In the second game, North Florida rallied late but eventually fell, 5-3, to UMKC as the Roos' top hurler Deanna Friese (7-2) led her squad to the win in a complete-game effort in which she fanned six Osprey batters. Friese allowed three runs – all earned – on six hits and four walks.
The Roos reached the plate first in the top of the first after loading the bases when junior pitcher Chie Someya, who started for the Ospreys, walked two and allowed a single. The next batter hit a fly ball to short left field, which was dropped, plating the first run of the game. The second run crossed on a single up the middle in the following at-bat.
Freshman pitcher Cortney Radke relieved Someya at that point, coming in and sitting down three consecutive batters on strikes.
The Ospreys tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the second. With runners on first and second and only one out, junior Kelly Dill came to the plate where she would leg out a triple to clear the bases, tying the game.
In the top of the fourth, UMKC added two runs to retake the lead, 4-2, and extended its lead further in the sixth to 5-2.
North Florida began to rally with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, plating one run to bring the squad within two runs. However, a fly out ended the game while stranding a runner on second base.
North Florida's freshman pitcher Cortney Radke (4-7) was tagged with the loss, pitching seven innings in relief, allowing all three runs – all earned – on six hits while striking out and walking four.
