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University of North Florida Athletics

Action shot of Dominica Cocuzza swining and watching the ball.
1
Colgate COLGATE 0-2
7
Winner North Florida UNF 1-3
Colgate COLGATE
0-2
1
Final
7
North Florida UNF
1-3
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Colgate COLGATE 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0
North Florida UNF 2 3 0 2 0 0 X 7 12 1

W: Cruz, Kayla (1-0) L: Crow, Bella (0-1)

8
South Dakota State SDSU 4-3
10
Winner North Florida UNF 2-3
South Dakota State SDSU
4-3
8
Final
10
North Florida UNF
2-3
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 R H E
South Dakota State SDSU 1 0 0 6 0 0 0 1 8 9 0
North Florida UNF 0 0 0 0 0 3 4 3 10 10 1

W: Matzko, Sydney (1-1) L: Taylor Compton (2-2)

Game Recap: Softball |

Huge Comeback Lifts Softball to Sweep on Day One of UNF Invite

Cocuzza hits grand slam, Penrod clubs walk-off homer


JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - North Florida softball kicked off its home slate in exciting fashion as it took down Colgate, 7-1, before senior Navia Penrod slammed a walk-off home run to give the Ospreys a 10-8 win against South Dakota State in eight innings.

QUICK GLANCE
Score: North Florida 7, Colgate 1 | UNF 10, South Dakota State 8 (8 inn.)
Records: North Florida (2-3) | Colgate (0-2) | SDSU (4-3)

TOP PERFORMERS
  • Penrod finished the day with a 6-for-7 outing with four runs scored and a pair of RBI with two walks.
  • Classmate Dominica Cocuzza slammed the game-tying grand slam in the bottom of the seventh to send the game against the Jackrabbits to extra frames. She finished the day going 6-for-8 with eight RBI. She also hit for the cycle between the two games.
  • Sydney Matzko tossed 6.0 innings, surrendering just two hits and an unearned run, while fanning three.
  • In total, six Ospreys had multi-base hits on the day.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1 
  • The guests struck first with a run in the opening inning, but the Ospreys answered after hits from Penrod and Megan Woodson put runners on second and third. A walk for Veronika Klimplova loaded the bases for Cocuzza who sent a single to second base to score the opening run.
  • Ashley Goebel then hit a deep ball to second base to allow Klimplova to come around and score for a 2-1 lead.
  • North Florida put up a three-spot in the second when back-to-back singles set the table for Klimplova. She then sent a double to right center to bring in the two runs for the 5-1 advantage.
  • In the fourth, Paige Pfent tallied an RBI before Cocuzza had an RBI double for the final 7-1 lead.
  • Freshman Kayla Cruz tossed 4.0 innings, giving up just one hit and a run. Matzko came in relief to finish the game with three innings of work.

Game 2 
  • South Dakota State held a 7-1 lead heading into the sixth inning as UNF recorded just three hits heading into the bottom of the frame.
  • A pair of singles put runners on before Cocuzza recorded her fourth RBI of the day to end the scoreless streak. Goebel walked to load the bases before Katelin Davis sent a pinch-hit single down the left line to bring in two.
  • Matzko sat the Jackrabbits down in order in the seventh to put the game in the hands of the Osprey offense.
  • UNF had the bases loaded with two outs thanks to a single and a pair of hit batters as Cocuzza stepped up to the plate and sent a game-tying grand slam over the center field fence.
  • With the bases cleared, Taylor Compton got the final Osprey to pop out to send the game to extras.
  • Playing international tiebreaker rules, a ground out and bunt single brought home the run, but Matzko got a batter swinging to put the game in North Florida's control.
  • A successful sac bunt allowed Goebel to reach third before she came around to slide under the home plate tag on Mary Rodriguez's bunt single. 
  • With the game tied back up and a runner on first, Penrod sent a 1-0 pitch out of the park for the 10-8 victory.

NOTES
- The wins are the first of the season for the Ospreys
- UNF is now 1-1 against SDSU and 2-0 against Colgate.
- It was Cocuzza's first grand slam of her career. 
- North Florida has now won its home opener in three straight seasons and seven of the last eight.

UP NEXT
The Ospreys continue the weekend with a pair of games against Northern Iowa and College of Charleston in the 2019 UNF Invitational. Game times are set for 4:30 and 7 p.m., respectively.

 
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