Home Runs Power Softball Over Mercer, Game Time Changed for Sunday

Saturday, April 13

Jacksonville, Fla.

1 p.m.

University of North Florida

31-11, 9-4

Mercer

23-24, 10-9

Mercer

North Florida

Home Runs Power Softball Over Mercer, Game Time Changed for Sunday

4/13/2013 7:33:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: North Florida Athletics

Game One Boxscore (PDF)
Game Two Boxscore (PDF)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – University of North Florida softball's bats came alive with four home runs during the course of the Ospreys' doubleheader sweep of Mercer on Saturday afternoon at the UNF Softball Complex to start a three-game Atlantic Sun series. In Game One, Mariah Reynolds blasted a walk-off homer to give UNF a 5-4 nine-inning victory. In Game Two, the Ospreys blasted three home runs – one shy of tying the program's single game record – in the 12-3 five-inning rout of the Bears.

UNF's three home runs in Game Two were the most hit by the Ospreys in a single game since UNF blasted three against Bowling Green on Mar. 7, 2010 at Georgia Tech's Buzz Classic. Against Bowling Green, Jackie Reese, who was in her freshman season, hit two home runs and Devyn Findley had one.

UNF's single-game home run record is four. That mark was set during UNF's 9-0 five-inning win over Gardner-Webb on Apr. 4, 2008. Ashley Parenteau had a lead-off homer in the first inning and then Heather Hyde, Ashley Battaglia and Gwen Williams all hit back-to-back-to-back blasts in the second to set the Ospreys' single-game home run record.

Game One on Saturday was a battle. UNF took an early 1-0 lead when Kelly Wilson scored from second on a Reese double in the first inning. However, Mercer came back to tie it a 1-1 with a Molly Garmany RBI single to left field.

The Bears broke the tie with a three-run third inning. Krista Kennedy sent a RBI double to center field and then later scored on a UNF miscue to make it 3-1. Meanwhile, Ashton Holt scored on a Randi Rea hit up the middle that provided Mercer with a 4-1 lead.

UNF chipped away at Mercer's lead with a one in each of the next three innings in order to deadlock the game at 4-4. In the third, the Ospreys' cut their deficit down to two when Danica Mandarano got home on a Reynolds hit. An infield single from Lauren Pollack in the fourth inning brought home Ashley Holton to make it a one-run game, while a Mercer miscue in the fifth allowed Wilson to score the game-tying run.

Both teams remained scoreless over the next three-and-a-half innings until Reynolds sent her walk-off shot over the left field wall in the ninth.

Cortney Radke, who came in relief in the third inning, was credited with the win. In the final 6.1 innings, Radke allowed six hits and struck out nine. Mercer did not record any of its runs while Radke was in the circle.

Kerri Nidiffer, who also came in relief, had the loss. In the final 2.0 innings, she allowed one run off two hits and struck out one.

Both Wilson and Reynolds were 2-for-5 from the plate. Wilson scored two runs, while Reynolds had two RBI and one run scored.

Kennedy was 3-for-4 with one RBI and one run for the Bears.

Game Two initially started out close. Mercer got out to a 1-0 lead in the first when an illegal pitch allowed McKenzie Woody to advance home from third. UNF tied it up at 1-1 in the second as Brittany Hendrix scored on a Lexi Taylor hit up the middle. After a scoreless third, Mercer went up 2-1 on a Rae lead-off shot to right center in the top of the fourth

The Bears' advantage was short-lived as Abby Tewey sent a lead-off shot in the bottom of the fourth to start a four-run inning for UNF. With two outs and the bases loaded, a wild pitch brought in Taylor from third to give UNF a 3-2 lead. Marissa Thomas and Holton hit back-to-back RBI singles and the Ospreys took a 5-2 lead after the fourth inning.

Mercer brought it down to a three-run game with another lead-off home run. This time it was Kennedy that sent a shot over the left field wall to make it 5-3.

However, a huge seven-run fifth inning that included two Osprey homers, propelled UNF to the win. With one out and Taylor on base, a RBI double from Mandarano and a RBI single from Wilson started the Ospreys' scoring. Reynolds hit her second home run of the day with a two-run shot to left center that made it 9-3. Then, later with runners on first and second and still one out, Holton drilled a three-run walk-off blast to right center that sealed the win.

Kaylie Wallace, who came in relief in the fourth inning, was credited with the win after pitching the last 2.0 innings for UNF. Wallace allowed one run off two hits and struck out one.

Julia Rice had the loss. Rice, who came in relief in the third inning, allowed seven runs off six hits and struck out one in 2.1 innings of work.

Five different Ospreys registered two hits in Game Two, while three Mercer players each had two hits.

The series concludes on Sunday at the UNF Softball Complex. Due to anticipated inclement weather for Sunday afternoon, the game has been moved up two hours to an 11 a.m., start time. Admission to all UNF softball home games is free.