University of North Florida
Stetson
Softball Hosts Stetson for Senior Day
4/29/2011 1:00:00 PM | Softball
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – In its final home game of the 2011 campaign and the denoted Senior Day, the University of North Florida softball team (22-29, 6-10 A-Sun) welcomes conference foe Stetson (19-27, 4-12 A-Sun) for a doubleheader on Saturday, April 30. Prior to the first pitch of game one, which is slated for 1 p.m. at the UNF Softball Complex, seniors Amy Kraus and Caroline Torre will be honored for their efforts during their respective Osprey careers.
LAST TIME OUT
The Ospreys enter the weekend looking to get back in the win column after being swept by FIU on Friday, April 22. In the FIU series, North Florida was plagued by errors as the team tallied nine over both games of the doubleheader, including seven in game one which led to six unearned runs. Prior to FIU, the Ospreys had won twice in its last four games which were both conference opponents, though the Ospreys were just 1-6 in its last six games before those series. The bats seem to be coming alive as of late, however, despite all the errors against FIU, Torre and freshmen Lauren Pollack and Marissa Thomas all hit .500 against the Panthers, while rookie Mariah Reynolds also batted .400.
WHO TO WATCH
Freshman Cortney Radke leads North Florida in the circle, pitching 244.1 innings this season and boasting an ERA of 2.18. Radke has tallied six shutouts in 24 complete games on the year and has fanned an impressive 279 batters. At the plate, senior Caroline Torre boasts a team-high batting average of .288. Freshman Mariah Reynolds leads the squad in multi-bag hits, legging out 12 doubles on the year to go along with four homeruns, while driving in a team-best 28 RBI. Additionally, sophomore Jackie Reese leads the team with five homeruns, including two multi-homerun games, hitting two deep balls in one game against Samford and Kennesaw State.
SCOUTING THE COMPETITION
Prior to dropping two games in its last outing to Florida Gulf Coast, the Hatters had claimed three of its last five games, including an impressive defeat of Lipscomb. Stetson took down the No. 2 team in the conference, the Lady Bison, in game one, 6-1, in DeLand on April 16. The Hatters' Chrissy Morello boasts a team-best batting average of .338, while Chelsey Trotto seems to lead the squad overall in the batter's box, hitting .306 with two homeruns, two triples and eight doubles while driving in 26 RBI and scoring 25 runs. In the circle, Meredith Owen has worked a team-high 125.2 innings to a 7-12 record and 2.34 ERA, while totaling 80 strikeouts and two shutouts in 12 complete games.
SERIES HISTORY
North Florida will look to extend its series lead over Stetson this weekend, as the Ospreys hold a 12-10 advantage in the all-time series with the Hatters. The Ospreys claimed five of the first six meetings before dropping eight of the next 11 games. North Florida then went on a four-game winning streak from 2008 to 2010, matching its longest win streak over the Hatters (1992-93). While Stetson emerged victorious in the last meeting, 1-0, the Ospreys hold a 6-2 record against the Hatters in Jacksonville.
next time out
The Ospreys next and final regular season matchup is a road doubleheader against crosstown-rival and conference-leader Jacksonville on Wednesday, May 4. The first game of the doubleheader is scheduled for 6 p.m. (ET) at the JU Softball Complex.
