JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - North Florida softball has won three of its last four and moved to 12 games over .500 this season with a commanding 6-1 victory against Western Michigan on Tuesday afternoon at UNF Softball Complex.
UNF carried its momentum from Sunday's shutout win over Mount St. Mary's with another solid pitching performance at home.
Allison Benning was sensational in the circle, striking out seven of the 12 batters she faced over four shutout innings.
Macie Hunolt entered in relief of Benning and allowed just two hits and one earned run over three frames.
Cameron Ponich closed out the game in the circle with a scoreless seventh inning.
Benning got the bats going for North Florida in the bottom of the first with a double to left-center field.
Kelsey Vogel drove her in with a single to right field to give UNF a 1-0 lead. Benning notched her second hit of the game in the third inning before
Kirsten Caravaca belted a two-run homer to left field in the next at bat to make it 3-0 Ospreys.
Caravaca's home run forced a pitching change from Western Michigan. However,
Chloe Culp capped off North Florida's offensive surge in the third inning with a three-run homer to push the Ospreys ahead 6-0 before cruising to a 6-1 win.
UNF 6, WMU 1
Pitchers of Record
Win:
Allison Benning (8-2)
Loss: Kaylee Salyer (0-1)
Line Scores
WMU | 1 R, 3 H, 0 E, 4 LOB
UNF | 6 R, 9 H, 1 E, 8 LOB
Statistical Leaders
UNF
Chloe Culp | 1-2, 3 RBI, 1 R, 1 HR
Kirsten Caravaca | 1-2, 2 RBI, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 HR
Kelsey Vogel | 2-3, 1 RBI, 1 R
Allison Benning | 3-3, 2 R, 4.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 K
WMU
Riley Dittmar | 1-3, 1 RBI
Jadeyn Merrill | 1-3
Payton Kelly | 1-3
Taylor Wolfe | 1 R
NOTES
- Six players (Culp, Vogel, Caravaca, Benning, Grace Shaw-Rockey, Marley Nagy) tallied hits.
- Benning threw 57 pitches in four innings with 37 of them being strikes.
- Kirsten Caravaca mashed her first home run this season and Culp notched her second.
UP NEXT
North Florida will have a quick turnaround, as the Ospreys will be right back in action to play host to Florida State on Wednesday, Mar. 5, at 6 p.m. at UNF Softball Complex.
