Softball Captures Pair of Wins Over Northern Kentucky on Saturday

Saturday, April 20

Jacksonville, Fla.

3 p.m.

University of North Florida

Northern Kentucky

Softball Captures Pair of Wins Over Northern Kentucky on Saturday

4/20/2013 8:48:00 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 picked up a pair of wins over Northern Kentucky on Saturday in the start of a three-game Atlantic Sun series with the Norse at the UNF Softball Complex. The Ospreys (36-12, 14-5 Atlantic Sun) took a 3-2 eight-inning victory in Game One and then belted a 9-2 win in Game Two.

However, despite the two wins on Saturday, the Ospreys will have to wait to clinch a spot in the Atlantic Sun Tournament. In order to earn a berth this weekend, in addition to needing to sweep Northern Kentucky, UNF also needed to have Jacksonville sweep Kennesaw State. The Dolphins fell in both games in their Saturday doubleheader with the Owls.

The day's first game was a battle with both teams scoring early. UNF went up 2-0 in the first inning on Jackie Reese's hit up the middle that drove in both Danica Mandarano and Kelly Wilson. However, the Ospreys' lead was short-lived as Northern Kentucky tied it up at 2-2 in the top of the second. Back-to-back bases-loaded singles from Dana Jarboe and KC Straley brought home the two runs the Norse needed in order to tie the game.

Solid defense by both teams resulted in the game needing extra innings. It was the second-straight weekend series for UNF in which Game One went to extras. Wilson scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the eighth when Marissa Thomas sent a single to left field.

Pitcher Kaylie Wallace picked up her Atlantic Sun leading 19th win of the season. In 8.0 innings, Wallace allowed two runs off six hits, but also struck out six.

Emily Schwaeble had the loss after pitching 7.2 innings. Schwaeble allowed two earned runs off five hits and also struck out 6.

Five different Ospreys and six different Northern Kentucky players all registered hits.

In Game Two, Northern Kentucky jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Straley scored on a Natalie Papi single down the right field line. However, the Ospreys responded with a five-run bottom of the first.

Although Mandarano was already scoring from home on a Reese hit to third base, a throwing error by the Norse allowed Wilson to score on the same play and make it a 2-1 game. Mariah Reynolds put the Ospreys up 3-1 when she scored on a Thomas RBI-single. Later with the bases loaded, Abby Tewey unleashed a two-run single to give UNF the 5-1 advantage.

The Ospreys went up by five in the second inning with Mandarano scoring on a Reese groundout.

Northern Kentucky cuts UNF's lead back down to four in the third. Papi drove in Straley with a RBI double to right center that made it 6-2 in favor of UNF.

However, UNF added one run in the fourth and then two more in the sixth. With runners in scoring position in the fourth, Reese sent a single up the middle and drove in Mandarano as UNF went up 7-2. In the sixth, a bases-loaded RBI-single from Lauren Pollack and a sacrifice fly from Abby Tewey brought home the Ospreys' last two runs of the game.

Kayla Goff received the win after pitching all 7.0 innings for UNF. Goff gave up two runs off six hits, but fanned six batters.

Alex Caudill had the loss after pitching the first 1.0 inning. Caudill allowed five runs off six hits and only struck out one.

Five Ospreys each had two hits in Game Two, while Papi led the Norse by going 2-for-4 with two RBI.

UNF finishes its series with Northern Kentucky with a single game on Sunday. First pitch is set for 1 p.m., from the UNF Softball Complex. Admission to all UNF home softball games is free.