University of North Florida
Mercer
Torre’s Homer Lifts Ospreys over Bears; Split Series
3/26/2011 5:54:26 PM | Softball
Game One Box Score ::: Game Two Box Score
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The University of North Florida softball team dropped game one of the doubleheader with Mercer before taking game two with a walk-off homerun by senior Caroline Torre on Saturday afternoon at the UNF Softball Complex.
After the day, North Florida improves to 16-17 overall and 1-3 in the A-Sun, while the Bears drop to 17-11 and 1-5 in the league.
Up next, North Florida strays from conference as the Ospreys play host to a doubleheader against 2010 NCAA Tournament team Bethune-Cookman on Tuesday, March 29. The first pitch of game one is slated for 4 p.m.
GAME ONE
In what was looking like a pitcher's dual through five innings, Mercer scored eight crucial runs in the top of the sixth inning to defeat North Florida, 9-3, in the first game of the doubleheader.
The Bears' Jenni Holtz (9-6) picked up the win after pitching a complete game and allowing just two earned runs of three total runs. Holtz fanned seven Osprey batters while walking just one.
Mercer opened up the scoring, plating one run in the third inning but the lead wouldn't last long as North Florida answered with two runs of its own in the bottom of the fourth.
In the sixth frame, Mercer blew open the game with eight runs. The Ospreys plated one run in the bottom of the seventh, but the rally would end there.
Freshman Cortney Radke (13-11) was tagged with the loss after working 5.2 innings, allowing seven earned runs on nine hits and striking out five batters.
GAME TWO
Senior Caroline Torre blasted a walk-off homerun in the seventh inning to lead North Florida over Mercer in the second game, 3-2. The deep ball marked the final run of a three-run rally over the final two innings for the Ospreys.
With the game tied at 2-2 in the bottom of the seventh, Torre walked up to the plate and drove the first pitch of the inning over the right field wall. Torre's homerun was her first this season and seventh of her career.
Mercer plated the first two runs of the game in the fifth inning, but the Ospreys tied things up in the sixth inning with two runs as well. Junior Alyson Bailey brought in the first run on a sacrifice bunt, while the second came after sophomore Jackie Reese legged out an infield single to shortstop.
Coming in as a reliever, freshman Cortney Radke (14-11) earned the win, pitching 2.2 innings and allowing no runs on just one hits, and fanning two batters.
Kari Chambers (7-7) of Mercer picked up the loss after allowing all three earned runs in six innings of work, and striking out just two on the day.
