JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – After nearly a full week off, the North Florida softball team (8-9) returns to action as it hosts Delaware State (5-2) for a single game contest on Tuesday, March 8, at the UNF Softball Complex. The first pitch of the game is slated for 7 p.m. (ET).
The Ospreys enter the match with a 8-9 record and have currently won three of its last four games. In the squad's last time out, it swept a doubleheader against Florida A&M with freshman Cortney Radke hurling a complete game no-hit shutout, including 14 strikeouts, to pace the Ospreys to a 3-0 victory in game one. North Florida took game two with a score of 2-0, marking the first time the squad has shutout its opponents in two consecutive games since 2007.
Sophomore Jackie Reese and freshman Mariah Reynolds lead North Florida at the plate, hitting .263 and .245, respectively. Both have belted two homeruns and legged out three doubles on the season thus far. Radke is the stud in the circle for the Ospreys in 2011, appearing in 15 of the teams 17 games with 92 innings pitched and accumulating 91 strikeouts while boasting an ERA of 2.21.
Delaware State brings a record of 5-2 into Jacksonville, having lost to Youngstown State and Norfolk State by scores of 3-2 and 2-1, respectively. The Hornets have four batters hitting over .460 with at least 20 at-bats this season, led by Casey Beighley who has belted one homerun to go along with six doubles and five RBI. Beighley has yet to strikeout this season. In the circle, Ashlyn Campbell has pitched a team-leading 17.1 innings yet has not allowed a single run in 2011.
Of North Florida's nine losses, five came at the hands of nationally-ranked teams that also competed in the NCAA Tournament last season.
This will be just the second meeting between the two schools as they have met just once in softball with North Florida taking that game, 4-1, on March 13, 2010 at the Winthrop/adidas Invitational last season.
Fans can follow the games via live stats.
