Softball Splits Doubleheader At River City Leadoff

Friday, February 7

Jacksonville, Fla.

4:30 p.m.

University of North Florida

1-0

Western Carolina

0-2

Western Carolina

North Florida

2/7/2025 10:00:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Ospreys Walks Off In Game One, Benning Strikes Out Eight In Game Two

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - North Florida softball secured its first victory of the season before the Ospreys split their doubleheader, as UNF defeated WCU, 3-2, in walk-off fashion before falling to Jacksonville State, 3-1, on Friday evening at UNF Softball Complex.

GAME 1 | UNF 3, WCU 2

The Ospreys claimed victory in their home opener thanks to a solid debut from UNF pitcher Macie Hunolt who went six innings and allowed just two runs while striking out six. Lauren Block and Allison Benning opened the scoring with an RBI single and fielder's choice that scored a run before West Carolina knotted the score at 2-2 in the sixth. However, it was Lauren Bevis who played a bit of hero ball in the seventh with a walk-off sacrifice fly to left field that gave North Florida the victory.

Pitchers of Record
Win: Macie Hunolt (1-0)
Loss: AG Batson (0-1)

Line Scores
UNF | 2 R, 3 H, 1 E, 2 LOB
WCU | 2 R, 6 H, 0 E, 5 LOB

Behind the Line Score

Hunolt made her 2025 debut for the Ospreys with a 1-2-3 first inning.
Benning belted a double down the right-field line in the bottom of the first for the only hit in the frame.
McCarthy singled to left and stole second in the bottom of the third. Brock drove her in with a base hit up the middle to give UNF a 1-0 lead.
Benning notched her first RBI of 2024 with a fielder's choice that scored Brock.
Hunolt retired the side in the top of the fourth inning.
The Ospreys turned a 6-4-3 double play to get out of the fourth inning with a 2-0 lead.
WCU notched an infield single in the top of the sixth that put runners on first and second with no outs. Becka Wonsick tripled to right to clear the bases and deadlock the score 2-2.
Mackenzie Woods hit a leadoff double to right field in the bottom of the seventh and reached third before Lauren Bevis walked it off with a sacrifice fly to left.

GAME 2 | JSU 3, UNF 1

North Florida was unable to carry much of its momentum into Game 2 as Jacksonville State struck first in the third inning on a throwing error that allowed Aria Davis to score, giving JSU a 1-0 lead. Lauren Brock provided a spark for the Ospreys in the bottom half of the third with a base hit that drove in Kalyn McCarthy and tied the score at one apiece.

UNF starting pitcher Allison Benning and Jacksonville State starter and Kat Carter found themselves in a pitching duel. Benning went all seven innings and allowed just one earned run while striking out eight. Carter pitched seven innings as well and allowed five hits and two strikeouts.

In the end, it was the Gamecocks who pulled away with a RBI double in the top of the fourth frame and a single that scored one more run in the fifth.

Pitchers of Record
Win: Kat Carter (1-0)
Loss: Allison Benning (0-1)

Line Scores
UNF | 1 R, 5 H, 4 E
JSU | 3 R, 5 H, 1 E

Behind the Line Score

JSU center fielder Morgan Nowakowski reached on a fielding error in the third and Aria Davis scored via a throwing error on the same play to open the scoring.
Brock singled to second base for UNF allowing McCarthy to score an unearned run that tied the score 1-1 in the bottom of the third.
Perkins doubled to right field for JSU but was thrown out trying to stretch it into a triple despite driving in a run to take a 2-1 lead in the fourth.
Amber Reed capped off the scoring for the Gamecocks on a single through the right side to make it 3-1.

NOTES

Benning, the Preseason ASUN Player of the Year, tallied hits in both games of the doubleheader and allowed just one earned run in seven innings of Game 2.
UNF's four errors defensively in Game 2 allowed JSU to pull away in the end.
Two Ospreys entered Friday with hits against No. 2 Florida on Thursday.
Six new UNF players tallied hits in the doubleheader.
North Florida's pitching was solid in both matchups, allowing just three earned runs in two games.
Hunolt and Benning combined for 14 strikeouts in their outings.

UP NEXT

North Florida is back in action at the River City Leadoff taking on Jacksonville State on Saturday at 4:30 p.m., and Western Carolina at 7 p.m., at the UNF Softball Complex.