Pfent, Ospreys Outlast UCA in Eight Innings, 5-3

Thursday, May 12

Jacksonville, Fla.

10 a.m.

University of North Florida

41-15

Central Arkansas

33-19

North Florida

Central Arkansas

Harper scored the game-winning run in the eighth on Pfent's two-RBI single.

Photo by: Britt Moore

5/12/2022 1:59:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

Catcher Tallies Four RBI, Softball Advances in Winners Bracket

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - In a tense and back-and-forth game, it was North Florida softball (41-15) that delivered the decisive blow as Paige Pfent put the Ospreys out in front with a two-out two-RBI single up the middle on an 0-2 pitch to give UNF a 5-3 lead and eventually the win in eight innings against Central Arkansas (33-19) Thursday, May 12.

The win brings North Florida to the winners bracket finals against the winner of No. 1 Liberty and No. 4 North Alabama tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. The victor in that contest moves on to the championship set for Saturday.

Pfent put UNF ahead, 3-2, with a two-run bomb in the fourth before breaking a 3-3 tie in the eighth inning with a clutch frozen rope.

Righty Morgan Clausen came on in relief in the fourth, turning in five innings of one-run ball to earn her second win in as many days.

UNF 5, UCA 3 (8 inn.)

Pitchers of Record
Win: Morgan Clausen (14-4)
Loss: Kayla Beaver (18-8)

Line Scores
UCA | 3R, 6H, 2E, 4 LOB
UNF | 5R, 7H, E, 3 LOB

Behind the Line Score

Bailee Aguigui broke the 0-0 tie in the top of the third, plating Hayley Bejarano with a sac fly to left after Bejarano and Logan Jackson ripped singles.
UCA took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the third thanks to a bases loaded two-out two-RBI through the right side.
UNF took the lead right back in the top of the fourth. Shannon Glover singled through the left side and Paige Pfent blasted a towering two-run home run to left.
The Bears got a leadoff double, sac bunt and RBI groundout to tie it 3-3 in the fifth.
The deadlock remained at 3-3 as things went to extras.
UNF took advantage of two UCA errors in the eighth, scoring two thanks to a clutch two-out two-RBI base hit up the middle on an 0-2 pitch from Pfent.
Clausen turned in a spotless eighth to seal the win.

Statistical Leaders
UCA

Jaylee Engelkes | 1-for-4, 2RBI
Tylar Vernon | 1-for-3, R
Kayla Beaver | L, 5.0 IP, 3H, 2R, 0ER, BB, 2K

UNF

Paige Pfent | 2-for-4, 4RBI, R, HR
Hayley Bejarano | 1-for-2, R, BB
Morgan Clausen | W, 5.0 IP, 3H, ER, 0BB, 3K

Notes

UNF improves to 4-0 on the season against UCA.
Both teams that UNF has defeated in the tournament have been teams the Ospreys swept during the regular season.
North Florida was the visitor in the box score as UCA entered with the higher seed.
It was a season high four RBI for Pfent.
The game only saw two walks.
North Florida is within one game of tying its DI era record for wins in a season.
UNF is 5-3 in all extra-inning games this year.
North Florida has defeated UCA twice in extra innings this year.

Up Next
UNF takes on top-seeded Liberty tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. for the right to advance to the championship.