University of North Florida
Kennesaw State
Errors Prove Costly as Owls Sweep Ospreys in Conference Opener
3/25/2011 9:55:07 PM | Softball
Game One Box Score ::: Game Two Box Score
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The University of North Florida softball team kept pace with Kennesaw State through both games, but errors plagued the Ospreys as the squad dropped both games of the doubleheader to open conference play at the UNF Softball Complex on Friday night.
After the day, North Florida falls to 15-16 overall and 0-2 in the A-Sun, while the Owls improve to 16-10 and 2-0 in the league.
Up next, North Florida welcomes A-Sun foe Mercer for a doubleheader on Saturday. The first pitch of game one is slated for 1 p.m.
GAME ONE
North Florida took an early 3-0 lead after the first inning in game one, but a four-run sixth inning by Kennesaw State put away the Ospreys, 5-3.
Freshman Cortney Radke (13-9) started and was tagged with the loss in a complete game effort, allowing five earned runs despite striking out eight batters and walking just two.
The Ospreys opened the scoring in the first inning, plating a run after freshman Mariah Reynolds singled through the left side to score the runner on third and put runners on first and second. With the bases loaded and two outs, senior Caroline Torre singled through the left side to score the final two runs of the frame.
Kennesaw closed the gap to three after scoring one in the top of the third. In the sixth inning, however, the Owls plated four runs to take a 5-3 lead, which it would hold on to for the remainder of the game.
After walking in a run for the Owls in the sixth, a throwing error by the catcher in an attempt to pickoff the runner at third scored one more to tie the game at 3-3. The next two runs would score on a wild pitch and single.
The Owls' Abbey Meixel (3-2) picked up the win in relief, entering in the second inning and finishing from there. Meixel allowed no runs and fanned nine Osprey batters in 5.2 innings of work.
GAME TWO
In game two, North Florida was the team trailing late and scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to tie the contest. Unfortunately, a dropped fly ball in centerfield plated two runs for Kennesaw State in the top of the eighth inning, proving to be the gamewinners as the Owls walked away with the victory, 7-5, in eight innings.
Abbey Meixel (4-2) claimed the victory after starting and then returning in relief in the sixth inning. Meixel allowed just one run on six hits, while striking out five to pick up the win.
Down 5-2 heading into the sixth inning, North Florida plated three clutch runs to tie the game at 5-5, forcing Kennesaw State to bring back its starting pitcher. The Ospreys loaded the bases with no outs before junior Kaley Brosky hit a sacrifice fly to deep left field to score a run. North Florida would reload the bases and freshman Lauren Pollack delivered with a single to centerfield, plating two runs to tie the game.
Kennesaw State scored what would turn out to be the winning runs in the eighth inning on a dropped fly ball with two outs. After the drop, runners from second and third came around to score for the Owls, taking a 7-5 lead.
Brosky led off the bottom half of the frame with a double and advanced to third on a fly ball with just one out. Unfortunately, a lineout to second base and strikeout ended the rally.
Sophomore Jackie Reese was connecting all night at the plate, going deep twice in the game, which was her second game this year hitting two homeruns in one game (Samford, Feb. 19). In her first at-bat of the game, Reese drove a line drive down the left field line and over the wall to lead the squad up 1-0 in the first inning. In the third inning, Reese delivered a shot to center field, which would have cleared the scoreboard had it been on line.
After coming in as a reliever, freshman Cortney Radke (13-10) was tagged with the loss, pitching 5.1 innings and allowing two runs – both unearned – on three hits, while fanning seven batters.
