JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - North Florida softball (42-17, 16-8 ASUN) was not able to get past top-seeded Liberty in the final round of the ASUN Championship, as it fell to the Flames (43-16, 23-1 ASUN) on Saturday afternoon at the UNF Softball Complex.
In their second championship game in program history and their first appearance since 2019, the Ospreys faced an early deficit in the first inning and couldn't find a way to come back against. After a lightning delay suspended the game for an hour, Liberty notched the final three outs of the game to win, 9-0, in five innings.
Morgan Clausen,
Halle Arends, and
Logan Jackson were all selected to the ASUN All-Tournament Team for their performances this week. Clausen and Arends added onto their individual awards this season, while Jackson earned a spot on the tournament team after making her first starts since Mar. 5, against Monmouth.
LIB 9, UNF 0 (5 Inn.)
Pitchers of Record
Win: Karlie Keeney (19-7)
Loss:
Halle Arends (20-6)
Line Scores
UNF | 0 R, 3 H, 3 E, 6 LOB
LIB | 9 R, 9 H, 1 E, 7 LOB
Behind the Line Score
- UNF loaded the bases and forced Liberty's starter to spin 32 pitches in the first, but the Flames squeaked out of it.
- The Flames scored five unearned runs in the bottom of the first after benefiting from a two-out error, scoring one off the miscue.
- They followed with a bases-clearing triple and another RBI base hit to right center, plating five in the first.
- Liberty scored their sixth run on an unusual play in the third. After a Rachel Roupe double, a foul out was caught by
Kayla McGory behind first base. Roupe tagged up to reach third and advanced 60 more feet as no throw was made home after an attempt to appeal a tag play.
- The Flames loaded the bags before working a bases-loaded walk, giving them a 7-0 lead.
- A fielding error on a chopper to second scored two more, putting Liberty up 9-0. McGory followed with a nice diving snag on a liner, stopping the bleeding.
- The game entered a lightning delay at 2:53 pm and resumed play approximately an hour later.
- McGory was able to smack a double into right field with the Ospreys hanging onto their last out, but Liberty was able to seal the game in a shutout.
Statistical Leaders
LIB
- Rachel Roupe | 2-2, 3 RBI, 3 R
- Kara Canetto | 2-3, 2 R
- Karlie Keeney | W, 5.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 4 K, 97 pitches
UNF
Notes
- Arends and Jackson were selected to their first ASUN All-Tournament Team, while Clausen made it for a second time in her career.
-
Bailee Aguigui was the leadoff batter for the first time this year, as well as the third hitter to hit leadoff in as many games.
- McGory recorded a pair of hits to total five hits in as many tournament games.
- Only third time this year UNF has been shut out, as well as only their third time they've been run-ruled.
- Clausen made pitching appearances in all five tournament games with 19.0 innings pitched and 13 strikeouts.
