JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - North Florida softball (3-1) split Saturday's twin bill, blanking Winthrop (0-3) to open the day before coming up one out short of defeating NC State in a 6-5 loss to the Wolfpack (4-0) in extras Saturday, Feb. 12 from the UNF Softball Complex.

The Ospreys used the bat of Kayla McGory in the fifth inning to break out a 3-0 lead and they never looked back. Clausen finished her second complete game of the season, while also recording a shutout for the second straight day.

Kayla Harper and Shannon Glover teamed up for three hits apiece against NC State to build a 4-1 lead entering the top of the seventh, but a two-out rally that saw NC State collect four-straight hits including a three-RBI game-tying double sent the game into extras. NC State would add two more runs in the ninth inning, before retiring UNF with the winning run on base.

Game 1 | UNF 4, WINTHROP 0

Clausen pitched another shutout gem to earn her second win of the weekend, while McGory hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning to secure the Ospreys' 4-0 victory.

Pitchers of Record
Win: Morgan Clausen (2-0)
Loss: Sydney Boulware (0-2)

Line Scores
WU | 0 R, 4 H, 2 E, 5 LOB
UNF | 4 R, 5 H, 1 E, 5 LOB

Behind the Line Score

• Both sides started the game out in a defensive struggle, as no runs were scored through the first four innings of competition.
• The Ospreys finally broke through with the one-run lead after Harper singled through the left side to bring in Bailee Aguigui for the score.
• McGory came up as the next batter and knocked one into left field for her first home run of the season to extend the Osprey lead to three runs.
• Logan Jackson added damage in the bottom of the sixth when she batted in Regan Hermeling to give UNF the four-run lead.
• Clausen allowed a hit in the first inning and didn't give another one up until the top of the sixth, as she struck four batters during her hitless run.
• The righty closed the game out by coaxing a grounder to second for her second complete game in as many days.

Statistical Leaders
WINTHROP
- Paige Rivas | 1-3
- Lauren King | 1-3
- Courtney Cygan | 1-3
- Sydney Boulware | 4.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 4 K, 75 pitches

UNF
- Morgan Clausen | 7.0 IP, CG, 4 H, 0 R, 7 K, 0 BB, 106 pitches
- Kayla McGory | 1-3, R, 2 RBI, HR
- Kayla Harper | 1-2, R, RBI
- Logan Jackson | 1-2, RBI

Notes

• The Ospreys opened the season with three straight wins for the first time since the 2015 season.
• Hermeling and Maegan Calandra made their season debuts as pinch runners, with Hermeling scoring the fourth run batted in by Jackson in the sixth inning.
• Clausen combined from 15 strikeouts through the first two games, while only allowing six hits combined over 14 innings.
• McGory recorded the 13th home run of her career for the Ospreys in the sixth inning.
• Hayley Bejarano recorded 11 putouts as the starting first baseman.

Game 2 | NC STATE 6, UNF 5 (Final - 9 Innings)

The Ospreys built a 4-1 lead behind the bats of Glover and Harper along with the arm of Erin Kyle, but NC State had a flare for the dramatic to win in extras.

Pitchers of Record
Win: Aisha Weixlmann (3-0)
Loss: Morgan Clausen (2-1)

Line Scores
NC ST | 6 R, 12 H, 3 E, 10 LOB
UNF | 5 R, 10 H, 2 E, 11 LOB

Behind the Line Score

• Kyle returned for her second start of the weekend after pitching a complete game victory against Campbell on Friday afternoon.
• NC State started out taking a 1-0 lead after a single to left center brought in a runner in the first.
• Glover responded quickly by sending one down to the left line to bring in Harper for the tie, followed by Ashley Goebel driving in Glover for a 2-1 lead.
• Both pitchers settled in, spinning a combined three and a half scoreless frames before Glover came through with a double flared into left center, scoring Harper once more.
• Harper was the one to drive in a run this time, finding the hole on the left side to drive in pinch runner Bailee Aguigui.
• Kyle worked a soft lineout and groundout to get the first two outs of the seventh before NC State rallied. 
• The Wolfpack collected three-straight singles before a bases-clearing double evened the game.
• NC ST added two more runs in the ninth inning and the Ospreys were just short of the comeback suffering their first loss of the season, 6-5.

Statistical Leaders
NCST
- Kaylee Lambrecht | 2-5, 3 R, RBI
- Logan Morris | 2-5, 4 RBI
- Carson Shaner | 2-5, RBI
- Sam Gress | 5.1 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 4 ER, BB, 2 SO, 80 pitches

UNF
- Kayla Harper | 3-4, 2 R, RBI
- Shannon Glover | 3-5, R, 3 RBI
- Ashley Goebel | 1-5, RBI
- Erin Kyle | 6.2 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 3 ER, BB, 2 SO, 109 pitches

Notes

• The Ospreys had two three-hit players against the Wolfpack with  Harper and Glover combining for six hits, three runs, and four RBIs.
• UNF has recorded at least seven combined strikeouts in three of their first four games, with 20 of their 26 total strikeouts coming from Clausen.
• Clausen struck out five batters in relief of Kyle through 2.1 innings, including the first four outs that she worked out of the bullpen.
• It was the first extra-innings loss for UNF since the 2020 season against Illinois State.

Up Next

The Ospreys will wrap up play the River City Leadoff on Sunday when they play Winthrop for a second time this weekend at 12:30 p.m. at the UNF Softball Complex.