#SB Sweeps on Day One of Osprey Invitational

Friday, February 14

Jacksonville, Fla.

12:15 p.m.

University of North Florida

5-1

Troy

3-3-1

Troy

North Florida

2/14/2014 8:15:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: North Florida Athletics

UNF-Troy Boxscore (PDF)
UNF-Savannah State Boxscore (PDF)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – University of North Florida softball opened the Osprey Invitational with a pair of wins on Friday at the UNF Softball Complex. The Ospreys had a 3-0 win over Troy in their first game and then ended the day with an 11-2 victory against Savannah State.

"Our pitchers threw really well," said head coach Marcie Hickey. "We played defense really well in the first game and then our bats came alive in the second."

In the first game, UNF went up 2-0 in the second inning. An error by Troy at the plate allowed Aisha Kerr to be safe on a squeeze bunt from Lexi Taylor. With runners on the corners, Katie Mandigo scored on a Danica Mandarano hit through the left side.

Kerr scored the Ospreys' third run in the bottom of the fifth, getting home on Rachel Engel's single to center field to make it 3-0.

Cortney Radke was credited with the complete-game shutout and the win. In 7.0 innings, she struck out eight batters and allowed two hits.

Jaycee Affeldt had the loss after pitching 6.0 innings. She allowed one earned run off seven hits and fanned eight batters.

Kerr was 3-for-3 with two runs scored.

Against Savannah State, UNF had one run in each of the last six innings, including multiple runs in the third, fourth and seventh innings.

UNF, who was the designated away team, went up 1-0 in the top of the second when Marissa Thomas scored on a one-out Mandigo RBI-double to left field.

The Ospreys increased their lead with a two-run top of the third. A bases loaded wild pitch brought in Kelly Wilson for the inning's first run. After UNF loaded up the bases again when Abby Tewey was hit by a pitch, Ashley Holton sent a deep sacrifice fly to right field, bringing home Kerr to make it 3-0.

Savannah State added a run in the bottom of the third when India Morgan scored. However, UNF answered with a two-run fourth inning. With runners on second and third, Wilson's sacrifice fly to right field brought home Rachel Engel. Taylor made it 5-1 when she got home on a Savannah State miscue with two outs.

UNF got one run and both the fifth and sixth innings. Engel sent a two-out solo home run over the left field wall in the fifth inning. In the sixth, Wilson drilled a one-out triple to center field. In the next at-bat, Kerr sent a sacrifice fly to center field as well, driving in Wilson to put the Ospreys up 7-1.

Amanda Hallman scored Savannah State's second run on an infield single in the bottom of the six to cut UNF's lead down to five.

UNF erupted for four runs in the top of the seventh with two outs. Both Engel and Manadarano had RBI singles, while Wilson ripped a two-run double to left field that gave the Ospreys the nine-run advantage.

Kayla Goff had the win after pitching all 7.0 innings. She allowed two runs off six hits and fanned four batters.

Amanda McDowell received the loss, allowing 10 earned runs off nine hits.

Wilson led UNF from the plate, going 3-for-3 with three RBI and two runs. Meanwhile, Engel was 2-for-3 with three runs and two RBI.

UNF returns for the second day of the Osprey Invitational on Saturday at the UNF Softball Complex. The Ospreys face Troy at 4:45 p.m., and Southern Illinois at 7 p.m. Admission to all UNF home softball games is free.