Softball Earns First-Ever A-Sun Tourney Bid in a Doubleheader Sweep of JU

Saturday, April 27

Jacksonville, Fla.

1 p.m.

University of North Florida

37-13, 15-6

Jacksonville

30-20, 11-13

UNF

Jacksonville

Softball Earns First-Ever A-Sun Tourney Bid in a Doubleheader Sweep of JU

4/27/2013 7:06:00 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 clinched its first-ever bid to the Atlantic Sun Tournament on Saturday as the Ospreys swept cross-town rival Jacksonville in a doubleheader at the JU Softball Complex. UNF rallied for a 3-1 win in Game One and then posted a 6-1 win in Game Two to also secure two barrel points in the SunTrust River City Rumble.

“It has never felt any better. The little things are coming up big for us right now,” said head coach Marcie Hickey. “We're doing a good job at getting bunts down and executing. We didn't have a ton of hits on the day, but we had the hits when the runners were on base. We're doing stuff well in pressure situations”

Coming into the weekend, UNF (38-13, 16-6 Atlantic Sun) only needed to win one game during the three-game series with the Dolphins (30-21, 11-14 Atlantic Sun) to get a bid to the conference tournament. The win in Game One sealed the tournament berth.

“That little asterisk [on the Atlantic Sun standings] is huge,” said Hickey. “It's a great spot for us to be in going into the final week the regular season.”

Meanwhile, UNF locked up the SunTrust River City Rumble midway through the Ospreys' second game. After softball's Game One win, UNF's baseball team also defeated Jacksonville to pick up the final point UNF needed to retain the SunTrust Old Wooden Barrel for the second-year in a row.

The Ospreys trailed early in Game One after Victoria Brown hit a high, lead-off home run over left field in the bottom of the first to put Jacksonville up 1-0.

After getting out of a jam in the bottom of the third, UNF scored all three of its runs in the top of the fourth. With two outs and runners in scoring position, Abby Tewey laced a two-run single to center field to give UNF the 2-1 lead. Tewey scored the game's final run as Danica Mandarano blasted a double to left center and the Ospreys went up 3-1.

Kaylie Wallace earned her 20th win of the season after pitching all 7.0 innings. Wallace allowed one run off six hits and struck out four.

Brown had the loss after allowing three runs off five hits in 3.2 innings. She also struck out two batters.

Mandarano was 2-for-4 with one RBI, while Tewey and Jackie Reese were both 1-for-3 and one run scored. Tewey also had two RBI.

Sarah Simon was 2-for-3 for the Dolphins.

In Game Two, Reese set a new UNF single-game record for hit by pitch, while the Ospreys tied their team single-game record for hit by pitch. Reese was hit three times – in the first, fifth and sixth innings, breaking the previous mark of two that was met 14 times. As a team, UNF was hit a total of five times – Marissa Thomas was also hit twice – and that tied its previous single-game record that was set against Northern Illinois on Mar. 17, 2012 at the USF Tournament.

After two scoreless innings to start the game, UNF put up two runs in the third. With bases loaded, Reese sent a deep sacrifice fly to left field, allowing Mandarano to score from third. However, on the same play, Jacksonville committed a fielding error that allowed Wilson to also score and put the Ospreys up 2-0.

Jacksonville made it a one-run game in the bottom of the third. Simon sent a single to right field that brought home Brown as UNF held a 2-1 advantage.

The Ospreys regained a two-run lead in the top of the fourth with Stephanie McAdam scoring on a wild pitch.

UNF added on its final three runs in the sixth with a Mariah Reynolds three-run homer to left field. It was Reynolds' team-leading 10th home run of the season. Reynolds is the first Osprey since the 2008 season to record double-digit home runs in a single season. In 2008, Gwen Williams (13), Heather Hyde (12) and Ashley Parenteau (11) all had 10-or-more home runs. Williams' 13 home runs from 2008 is the current single-season record.

Kayla Goff pitched all 7.0 innings for the win. Goff allowed one run off four hits and struck out four.

Dale Tillman received the loss after allowing three runs off three hits in 5.0 innings of work. Tillman struck out one batter.

Mandarano was 2-for-3 with two runs and one RBI in Game Two.

Four different Dolphins each had one hit.

The series concludes on Sunday with a single-game scheduled for 1 p.m., from the JU Softball Complex. Admission is free.