Softball Takes Down UC Santa Barbara, Splits Twin Bill On Day Two Of Purple Classic

Saturday, February 21

Phoenix, Ariz. / GCU Softball Stadium

3:15 p.m.

University of North Florida

13-4

UC Santa Barbara

4-11

North Florida

UC Santa Barbara

Softball Takes Down UC Santa Barbara, Splits Twin Bill On Day Two Of Purple Classic

2/21/2026 8:30:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

PHOENIX, Ariz. - North Florida softball split the twin bill on day two of the Purple Classic in Phoenix, Ariz., on Saturday at GCU Softball Stadium.

North Florida earned a 4-3 win over UC Santa Barbara and dropped a 6-3 contest in its rematch to San Diego to conclude the day.

Against UC Santa Barbara, the Ospreys struck first with a run in the first inning. Junior infielder Bella Cimino drew a walk and came around to score after an RBI double into right center from sophomore catcher Caiden Oliva.

Redshirt junior outfielder Kalyn McCarthy got the third inning started with a single up the middle. Graduate outfielder Hallie Langford tripled down the right field line to score McCarthy and came around to score off a sacrifice fly from junior utility player Addie Keef to increase UNF's lead to 3-0.

UC Santa Barbara responded with a solo home run in the bottom of the third and a pair of runs in the fifth to even the score at 3-3. North Florida turned to sophomore pitcher Taylor Cook in the fifth. Cook ended the threat, recording a strikeout and a flyout. She tossed 2.2 scoreless innings in relief to earn the win.

North Florida answered in the sixth with the game winning run, courtesy of an RBI single from junior infielder Hannah Davila.

In the Ospreys' second game of the day against San Diego, the Toreros scored three runs in the bottom half of the first to take an early lead. They would add to their advantage with two more runs in the third for a 5-0 lead.

After a single from Oliva, a double to deep right field off the bat of sophomore outfielder Grace Shaw would put the Ospreys on the board and make the score 5-1 in the fourth. San Diego would go on to tack on another run in the sixth.

In the seventh inning, a Langford single and a throwing error would score McCarthy from first, and an RBI single from junior infielder Bella Cimino cut into the San Diego lead to make the score 6-3. With the hit, Cimino extended her on-base streak to 18 games to open the season.

GAME 1 | UNF 4 UCSB 3
Pitchers of Record
Win: Taylor Cook (5-1)
Loss: Ella Myers (0-2)

Line Scores
UNF | 4 R, 7 H, 1 E, 8 LOB
UCSB | 3 R, 7 H, 2 E, 6 LOB

Statistical Leaders
UNF
Caiden Oliva | 2-4, 2B, RBI
Hallie Langford | 1-4, 3B, RBI
Taylor Shephard | 1-3, 1B, RBI
Taylor Cook | 2.2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO, 32 pitches

UCSB
Tehya Banks | 2-3, HR, 2B, RBI
Jaelyn Toledo | 2-4, 2RBI
Ella Myers | 7.0 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 1 HBP 128 pitches

GAME 2 | UNF 3 USD 6
Pitchers of Record
Win: Charlie Johnson (2-2)
Loss: Macie Hunolt (2-1)

Line Scores
UNF | 4 R, 4 H, 1 E, 4 LOB
USD | 0 R, 3 H, 1 E, 5 LOB

Statistical Leaders
UNF
Grace Shaw | 1-4, 2B, RBI
Bella Cimino | 1-4, RBI
Kayln McCarthy | 2-2, BB
Kate Peters | 4.0 IP, 2H, 1 ER, 4 K, 50 pitches

USD
Taylor Johnson | 2-3, 2B, 3RBI
Hailey Mulligan | 1-3, 2B, RBI
Michelle Delgado | 1-3, 2B
Charlie Johnson | 6.0 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, K, 95 pitches
Kelsey Tadlock | 1.0 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 23 pitches

UP NEXT
North Florida concludes the Purple Classic on Sunday, Feb. 22, against Montana at 11 a.m.