Softball Takes Down Oakland in Eight Innings

Wednesday, February 20

Jacksonville, Fla.

4 p.m.

University of North Florida

8-3

Oakland

3-3

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Oakland	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	2	3	1
North Florida	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	1	3	8	0

2/20/2013 7:07:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

By: North Florida Athletics

Boxscore (PDF)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – University of North Florida softball capitalized on the game's only error in order to take a 3-2 eight-inning win over Oakland in the Ospreys' 2013 home opener at UNF Softball Complex on Wednesday afternoon.

“We hit the ball pretty well today,” said head coach Marcie Hickey. “We had some shots to their outfielders. They put the ball into play and made something happen that ended up winning us win the game.”

Ashley Holton scored the game-winning run with no outs in the eighth inning. Jackie Reese hit into a fielder's choice, but the Golden Grizzlies overthrew the ball in an attempt to get Holton out at second, giving Holton plenty of time to get home.

UNF trailed early when Shannon Cleveland sent a one-out solo home run over the left field wall to give Oakland a 1-0 lead.

The Ospreys answered in the bottom of the third. With Kelly Wilson on third, Holton battled from an 0-2 count to blast a two-out, two-run home run that dropped just beyond the center field wall a give UNF the 2-1 lead.

UNF and Oakland battled over the next three innings before the Golden Grizzlies tied the game up in the top of the seventh. Erika Polidori scored from second on a Cleveland hit up the middle that made it 2-2. Oakland was able to shut down UNF in the bottom half of the seventh in order to force extra innings.

After UNF blanked Oakland in the top of the eighth, Holton started the Ospreys' offense with a single, giving UNF the key base runner that it ultimately needed.

Kaylie Wallace received the win after coming in for the final 1.2 innings and holding Oakland hitless. Wallace fanned three batters, including two in the top of the eighth. Cortney Radke began the day for the Ospreys, recording nine strikeouts in 6.1 innings.

Laura Pond had the loss after allowing eight hits in 7.0 innings. Pond struck out three, but gave up two earned runs.

Holton was 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBI on the day.

Cleveland was 2-for-3 with one run and two RBI for the Golden Grizzlies.

UNF returns to action this weekend at the three-day FAU Strike Out Cancer Tournament in Boca Raton, Fla. The Ospreys begin the tournament on Friday against Northern Illinois at 9 a.m., and Providence at 1 p.m.