#SB Wins Game One, Falls in Game Two at Northern Kentucky

Saturday, March 22

Highland Heights, Ky.

Noon

University of North Florida

18-13, 3-7

Northern Kentucky

2-20, 0-7

North Florida

Northern Kentucky

Photo by: Eric Tewey

3/22/2014 5:04:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: North Florida Athletics

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

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – University of North Florida softball split the series-opening doubleheader at Northern Kentucky on Saturday at Frank Ignatius Grien Softball Field. The Ospreys posted a 10-2 win in five innings in Game One, but had a rally come up short in Game Two and fell 9-7.

Northern Kentucky got out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning to start Game One. Katelyn Roy sent a one-out single down the right field line that drove in both Norse runs.

UNF answered with a six-run top of the second. With runners in scoring position and one out, Ashley Holton sent an RBI single to right field to drive in Marissa Thomas. Later with two outs, Ashia Kerr and Holton both scored on Lexi Taylor's two-run single to put the Ospreys up 3-2. Abby Tewey drove in two more runs with a hit through the left side and then later scored on Mariah Reynolds' double as UNF took a 6-2 lead.

UNF scored its final four runs in the fifth inning. Thomas started the inning with a lead-off homer to center field. It was Thomas' fifth home run of the season. Rachel Engel registered an RBI double and Katie Mandigo had a two-run single to drive home the remaining Osprey runs.

Cortney Radke came in for the final 2.2 innings and got the win after limiting Northern Kentucky to no runs and one hit. She also struck out two.

Alex Caudill was credited with the loss after allowing nine runs off 10 hits in 4.0 innings. She also struck out two.

Nine Ospreys registered hits with Thomas and Engel each having two.

Dana Jarboe, Roy and Natalie Papi each had one hit for the Norse.

In Game Two, the Norse went up 1-0 with KC Straley getting home on Roy's groundout in the first inning. However, UNF answered with a three-run second inning in order to take the lead. Danica Mandarano's RBI single brought in Holton for UNF's first run. Tewey drilled a two-run single to right center to put UNF up 3-1.

Northern Kentucky regained a one-run lead in the fourth. Alexis VanHorn and Jarboe each hit a ball up the middle, with VanHorn's hit bringing in two runs and Jarboe driving in one to make it a 4-3 game.

UNF fought back to tie the game in the fifth as Thomas scored the game-tying run on Holton's bases-loaded hit up the middle. However, the tie was short-lived as Northern Kentucky scored two runs in the fifth and three in the sixth to go up 9-4.

The Ospreys attempted to come back in the seventh and Mandigo smacked a two-out three-run homer to left field to bring UNF to within out. UNF got two more runners on base before the game ended with a pop-up.

Radke, who came in relief for 1.1 innings, was credited with the loss after allowing three unearned runs off four hits. She also struck out one.

Alyssa Enrique picked up the win after allowing four runs off eight hits in 5.1 innings. She also struck out one.

Holton led the Ospreys with a 3-for-4 performance from the plate in Game Two, scoring two runs and driving in one RBI.

Nicolette Hayes was 3-for-4 with two RBI for the Norse.

The series concludes on Sunday with a single game at Frank Ignatius Grien Softball Field. First pitch is set for Noon.