FLORENCE, Ala. - Senior
Navia Penrod became North Florida softball's career hit leader as the Ospreys picked up two wins against North Alabama on Saturday afternoon. UNF won game one 3-1 before turning on the offense with a 10-7 win in the second contest.
Entering the weekend, Penrod needed just three hits to tie the record set by Kelly Lee (1998-2001) and she did just that and more. Penrod went 5-for-7 on the day including a home run and three runs scored. She now owns 248 career hits.
GAME 1
Pitchers of Record:
Win |
Sydney Matzko (9-4)
Loss | Megan Garst (7-3)
How it Happened:
- In the second, Navia Penrod sent a single to left field before one swing from Veronika Klimplova made it a 2-0 game. It was her second home run of the season.
- The Lions answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the frame on two hits and an Osprey miscue.
- North Florida added one more insurance run thanks to a sac fly from Dominica Cocuzza in the sixth. She brought in Taylor Engman who led off the inning with a triple.
Statistical Leaders:
UNF
- Penrod | 2-for-3
- Klimplova | 1-for-3, HR, 2 RBI
- Matzko | 7.0 IP, 8 H, 1 BB, 7 K
North Alabama
- Lexie Harper | 2-for-3
- Alex Brown | 2-for-3, R
GAME 2
Pitchers of Record:
Win |
Morgan Blourne (7-3)
Loss | Jensen Strickland (0-3)
How it Happened:
- North Florida put up six runs in second and never looked back. Makenzie Griffin hit a single to bring in Penrod before a double from Rindy Bryant plated two more runs.
- Paige Pfent then stepped to the plate and sent a three-run shot over the fence to make it a 6-0 game.
- Like the first game, UNA answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame. Danielle de Ruiter hit a triple down the line to score two.
- An error in the third aided North Florida as Tiffany Lower hit a two-out, two-RBI double to make it a 9-2 game.
- The fourth inning was quiet with the exception of Penrod's single up the middle to make her the career leader. She would come back in the sixth and put an exclamation point on the day with a solo home run to left field.
- North Alabama kept coming though as it plated five runs over the final three innings, but it wasn't enough to overtake UNF's lead.
Statistical Leaders:
UNF
- Penrod | 3-for-4, 2 R
- Lower | 2-for-3, BB, 3 RBI
- Bryant | 2-for-4, 2 RBI
North Alabama
- Chloe Kirkland | 2-for-4, 2 R
- Brown | 1-for-2, 2 RBI
NOTES
- Only three other teams had put up five or more runs up against North Alabama so far this season.
- Matzko recorded seven strikeouts for the second time this season to match her best.
- North Florida had seven extra-base hits across the two games including three home runs. The Ospreys now have 14 round trippers on the year, doubling its total from 2018.
- Penrod has now had 11 multi-hit games, just behind classmate Cocuzza with 14.
- The Ospreys have scored double figure runs in four games so far this season, and scored five runs or more in 12 contests.
UP NEXT
The Ospreys close out the weekend against the Lions at 2 p.m. EST on Sunday.
