Game 1 box score |
Game 2 box score
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Northern Kentucky University second baseman
Dee Dee Davis extended her team-best hitting streak to 12 games as the Norse dropped both ends of a doubleheader against Atlantic Sun Conference foe North Florida at the UNF Softball Complex.
North Florida (36-12, 14-5 A-Sun) claimed Game 1 in extra innings, 3-2, before winning the nightcap, 9-2.
In the opener, The Ospreys struck in the first inning, capitalizing on a Norse error to plate two runs on a single up the middle by Jackie Reece. The Norse got the runs right back in the bottom of the second inning to tie things up.
An 11-pitch battle of a plate appearance by
Alexis VanHorn turned into a leadoff walk.
Kaylin Steinmetz saw eight pitches from UNF's Kaylie Wallace herself before pushing a single into right field.
Tory Speakman then loaded the bases after a nine-pitch duel ended in a base on balls.
While the runners reached with patience, the runs scored through aggressiveness at the plate. The Norse (10-33, 4-16 A-Sun) broke through when
Dana Jarboe lifted an 0-1 pitch into left field for an RBI single.
KC Straley followed up with an infield single back to the pitcher on the first pitch she saw, tying the game.
Following the scoring flourishes, pitchers Wallace and
Emily Schwaeble proceeded to hang zeros on the scoreboard for their respective sides through regulation, forcing extra innings.
The dagger came in the bottom of the eighth inning, after Kelly Wilson reached second on a throwing error to lead off the frame, she advanced to third on a deep fly ball to center field from Reese and scored the walk-off win after a Marissa Thomas RBI single to left field.
Schwaeble (4-18) took the hard-luck defeat, allowing two earned runs on five hits while striking out six. Six different Norse each claimed a hit on the game, with Davis extending her streak with a leadoff single in the fifth inning.
Game 2 saw the Norse strike first in the top of the first inning on
Natalie Papi's RBI single down the left field line to plate Straley, who was hit by the game's second pitch. The Ospreys responded with five runs in the bottom of the frame, punctuated by a two-run single by Abby Tewey.
The Norse drew a run closer in the top of the third on Papi's second hit of the game, an RBI double to again score Straley, who reached on an infield single.
The Ospreys added another run in the fourth inning and two in the sixth as they pounded out 14 hits in the game. Five different UNF players claimed two-hit games. Kayla Goff (11-5) got the win in the circle for UNF, scattering six hits while striking out six batters.
The loss fell to
Alex Caudill (1-4), who was pulled after one inning, having given up five runs on six hits.
Kelley Benhase closed out the final five innings for NKU, claiming one strikeout.
The two teams will close out their three-game A-Sun series on Sunday afternoon with a 1 p.m. first pitch.
