University of North Florida
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Kansas
Softball Splits with No. 35 Kansas and Alabama State
3/13/2011 4:17:01 PM | Softball
Box Score (Kansas) ::: Box Score (Alabama State)
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The North Florida softball team (12-10) split its two games on Sunday at the UNF Osprey Invitational at the UNF Softball Complex. The Ospreys dropped a hard-fought game to No. 35 Kansas (21-3) to start the day, 2-1, before defeating Alabama State (3-15) with a score of 6-4 in the back-to-back games.
The Ospreys will participate in its fifth tournament of the year as the squad heads to Clearwater, Fla. for the USF The Game Tournament where it will play five games at the Eddie C. Moore Complex. North Florida's first matchup is against Liberty on March 18 with the first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m.
Kansas claimed the tournament title, going 4-0 on the weekend.
GAME ONE
Kansas scored its only two runs in the first inning, but it proved to be enough to drop the Ospreys 2-1 in seven innings. Freshman pitcher Cortney Radke (9-8) went the distance for
North Florida, pitching a complete game, while striking out six and scattering six hits.
North Florida looked to answer Kansas' early 2-0 lead in the bottom frame of the first inning, but left two on base instead.
The Ospreys didn't go away though, plating a run in the fifth to shrink the lead to just one run.
Kansas needed to pitchers to silence the Ospreys, with Kristin Martinez (10-1) earning the win in the circle after pitching 4.1 innings while allowing one unearned run on five hits.
GAME TWO
In the second game, North Florida rallied from a 4-0 deficit to take down Alabama State, 6-4. Freshman Osprey hurler Cortney Radke (10-8) earned the win in relief in which she fanned six batters in 3.2 innings of work and allowed no runs.
The Hornets reached the plate in the first inning, plating one before scoring three more in the third inning to take a 4-0 lead over the Ospreys.
In the top of the fourth, however, North Florida found its bats and exploded for five runs to take the lead for good. A two-run double by freshman Mariah Reynolds began the Osprey rally. Senior Caroline Torre came to the plate next, and legged out an inside-the-park homerun on a dropped fly ball in left field by the shortstop.
The Ospreys extended the lead to 6-4 in the fifth inning after plating one more run.
Alabama State's pitcher Stephanie Hernandez (2-9) was tagged with the loss, pitching a complete game, allowing six runs – three earned – on eight hits while striking out two.
