JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Behind timely hitting, successful small ball,
Shannon Glover's long ball and a pair of complete games from
Erin Kyle and
Morgan Clausen, North Florida softball (2-0) swept its season-opening twin bill at the UNF Softball Complex Friday, Feb. 11.
The Ospreys doubled-up Campbell (1-1), 4-2, in the season opener before getting a two-hit shutout from Clausen in a 2-0 win against FAMU in the nightcap. Kyle and Clausen teamed up to hold hitters to .167 hitting while the duo fanned 12 and didn't walk a single batter.
Glover launched a homer,
Gianna Niemeier drove in three across the two games and
Paige Pfent provided the game-winning double in the second contest.
Game 1 | UNF 4, CU 2
Erin Kyle diced up the Campbell offense, spinning a complete game in her UNF debut, and
Shannon Glover added some insurance with a resounding home run as the Ospreys won their season opener, 4-2.
Pitchers of Record
Win:
Erin Kyle (1-0)
Loss: Isabella Smith (0-1)
Line Scores
CU | 2R, 6H, 3E, 5 LOB
UNF | 4R, 4H, E, 5 LOB
Behind the Line Score
- Erin Kyle retired the first eight batters she faced before Campbell finally reached the bases. CU notched a single, the next batter reached on an error and the Camels got on the board with a seeing-eye single up the middle.
- UNF evened things up in the bottom of the third. After consecutive walks, Kayla Harper bunted Maggie Trgo to third and Kayla McGory drove her in with a sac fly.
- The Ospreys took a 3-1 lead after the fourth, capitalizing on three CU errors. Gianna Niemeier drove in both Ospreys with a hot shot that couldn't be handled at second base. Ashley Goebel also singled in the inning. McGory nearly broke the game open, but a deep fly was caught at the track to end the inning.
- CU got one back on a sac fly in the fifth.
- UNF had a quick rebuttal though, as Shannon Glover worked the count and launched a home run to left center.
- Campbell threatened again in the sixth, but Kyle worked her way around two CU baserunners. Kyle allowed one baserunner in the seventh before closing the door for the complete game.
Statistical Leaders
CU
- Alexa Pagano | 2-2
- Alyssa Henault | 1-3, RBI
- Isabella Smith | CG, 6.0 IP, 5K, 2BB, 4ER
UNF
- Erin Kyle | 7.0 IP, CG, 6H, 2R, 1ER, 4K, 0BB, 90 pitches
- Shannon Glover | 1-3, R, RBI, HR
- Gianna Niemeier | 1-1, 2RBI
Notes
- Kyle needed just 90 pitches to put up the complete game in her UNF debut.
- Niemeier had a game-high two RBI, doing so in a pinch-hit role.
- Kyle didn't walk a single batter. There were only two walks in the game that saw both pitchers go the distance.
- UNF is 3-2 over its last five home openers.
Erin Kyle on Her Complete Game
"I feel like the infield had a lot of energy and talk, which settled me in. I really love it here and have made a lot of good teammates, and the energy is great."
Shannon Glover on Her Home Run
"Honestly, I just felt relieved because I had two pop-ups right before [that at-bat]. Making those in-game adjustments is a big aspect of softball, so I was able to do that and finally get a good hit."
Game 2 | UNF 2, FAMU 0
Clausen attacked the zone, didn't walk a better, fanned eight and only needed 67 pitches in the complete game.
Pitchers of Record
Win:
Morgan Clausen (1-0)
Loss: Lauren Peppers (0-1)
Line Scores
FAMU | 0R, 2H, 0E, 2 LOB
UNF | 2R, 6H, E, 8 LOB
Behind the Line Score
- Clausen was perfect through four innings before FAMU finally got on the bases with a leadoff double to start the fifth frame. The righty got one out on a sac bunt play and fanned the next two, getting out of the first threat of the game.
- UNF capitalized on that momentum after McGory tagged a double down the left field line and eventually scored on a blistered double from Pfent.
- After another spotless sixth, UNF tacked on an insurance run. Niemeier came through again in the pinch hit spot, driving in pinch runner Bailee Aguigui with a sac fly lineout to left.
- FAMU got the leadoff runner on in the seventh, but a clutch play by Savannah Channell at shortstop was followed by Clausen coaxing the final two outs.
Statistical Leaders
UNF
- Clausen | 7.0 IP, 2H, 8K, 67 pitches, 10 groundouts
- Pfent | 1-3, RBI, 2B
- Abi Annett | 2-2, 2B, BB
FAMU
- Peppers | 6.0 IP, 6H, 2ER, 5BB, 93 pitches
- Jane'a Mobley | 1-for-3, 2B
Notes
- Clausen only had to throw 67 pitches
- Maggie Trgo made her UNF debut in game one and two today.
- Hayley Bejarano also made her UNF debut, starting at first base.
- Niemeier collected three pinch-hit RBI today.
- Clausen tallied her 16th complete game as an Osprey.
- Channell had seven assists in her UNF debut.
- Hadlee Reichert appeared in the second game and made her UNF debut.
Coach Higgs' Comments on Closing Out Game Two at the Plate
"After heading into the fifth inning [of game two] we told everyone, 'listen, they can catch pop ups. So, we better keep the ball out of the air.' We had two kids with back-to-back doubles and I think [before] we were trying to do too much. Line drives back up the middle is what we were shooting for and we got enough to get a couple of runs on the board." -- Head Coach Marcie Higgs
Up Next
North Florida has two more lined up tomorrow. The Ospreys host Winthrop at 4 p.m. and NC State at 6:30 p.m.