JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Behind a pair of complete game shutouts in the circle, a monstrous fifth inning in game one and a balanced performance in game two, North Florida softball (23-6) continued its dominance with a doubleheader sweep of Bucknell (3-16) Wednesday, March 16. The Ospreys won game one in five innings, 9-0, while blanking the Bisons in the nightcap, 4-0.
Morgan Clausen dropped her ERA to a staggeringly low 0.56 ERA with five-shutout frames in the first game, while
Izzy Kelly nabbed her first win with a seven-inning shutout on the rubber in the second contest.
Paige Pfent combined to go 5-for-6 with four RBI, two runs, one home run and a double across the two wins. She's now above the .400 mark for the season, batting .407.
Game 1 - UNF 9, Bucknell 0
Clausen dominated again, spinning a four-hit shutout while fanning six and not walking a single batter. The bats backed her up as North Florida ended the game in five innings by scoring eight in the fifth.
Pitchers of Record
Win:
Morgan Clausen (6-2)
Loss: Olivia Marinelli (0-2)
Line Scores
BU | 0R, 4H, 0E, 3 LOB
UNF | 9R, 11H, 0E, 2 LOB
Behind the Line Score
- UNF got on the board in the bottom of the first thanks to some two-out magic. Paige Pfent doubled to right and scored on Shannon Glover's single back up the box.
- The Ospreys unloaded in the fifth, scoring eight runs on nine hits. The hit parade featured run-producing knocks from Kayla Harper, Pfent, Glover, Savannah Channell, Maggie Trgo and a two-RBI double from Abi Annett to finish the game in less than five frames.
Statistical Leaders
Bucknell
- Four players tied with one hit apiece.
- Nicole Rivait | 2B
UNF
- Paige Pfent | 2-for-3, 2RBI, R, 2RBI, 2B
- Shannon Glover | 2-for-3, 2RBI, R
- Maggie Trgo | 2-for-3, 2R, RBI
- Abi Annett | 1-for-3, 2RBI, 2B
- Morgan Clausen | W, 5.0 IP, 4H, 0ER, 0BB, 6K
Game 2 - UNF 4, Bucknell 0
Izzy Kelly tossed a five-hit shutout while fanning three and walking just two, Pfent launched a two-run home run and North Florida worked its 14th shutout of the season to blank Bucknell, 4-0.
Pitchers of Record
Win:
Izzy Kelly (1-0)
Loss: Kelly Toomey (3-7)
Line Scores
- BU | 0R, 5H, 2E, 7 LOB
- UNF | 4R, 9H, E, 7 LOB
Behind the Line Score
- Kelly stranded them loaded in the second, bringing UNF to the plate as the Ospreys pushed one across in the bottom half of the frame.
- Small ball allowed UNF to take a 1-0 lead. Regan Hermeling singled, took second on a sac bunt, moved to third base on a groundout and scored on Annett's single up the middle.
- UNF loaded the bags in the third, but nothing came of it.
- Pfent set down a Bucknell runner on a successful back pick at first base in the fourth, helping keep the Bisons scoreless.
- The fifth inning proved fruitful for UNF again. Annett singled through the middle and Pfent continued her tear, launching a two-run home run to right center for a 3-0 lead.
- A pair of Bucknell defensive miscues allowed UNF to score another insurance run in the 6th.
- Kelly worked around a baserunner in the seventh to finish the complete game.
Statistical Leaders
Bucknell
- Four with one single apiece
- Kelly Toomey | 5.0 IP, 8H, 3ER, BB, K
UNF
- Paige Pfent | 3-for-3, R, HR, 2RBI
- Regan Hermeling | 1-for-2, R, RBI
- Abi Annett | 1-for-3, R
- Takiya London | 1-for-3, 2B, R
- Kayla McGory | 2-for-4, R, 10 putouts
- Izzy Kelly | CG, 7.0 IP, 5H, 0ER, 2BB, 3K
Notes
- Trgo made her second and third starts of the year.
- Brittany Sundermeier made her first appearance of the year as a pinch runner.
- Pfent hit her fourth home run of the season, a team best.
- Clausen has a miniscule ERA at 0.56, leading the ASUN.
- Kelly pitched her first win of the season and as an Osprey. It was also her second-career start in the circle.
- Pfent tallied her second three-hit game of the year and second three-for-three day this season.
- UNF is 2-0 all-time against Bucknell.
- The Ospreys are 18-2 at home this year.
- UNF has spun 14 shutouts this season. The UNF Division-I era record for a season is 16 set back in 2013.
- Eight of the nine starters in game one recorded at least one hit, with three notching a multi-hit game.
- Game one marked UNF's seventh game this season with three batters having multi-hit games.
Up Next
UNF stays at home to host Lipscomb in a three-game set Saturday and Sunday. The Ospreys begin the series with a doubleheader against the Bisons Saturday.
