(Photo Courtesy of North Florida Athletics)
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – University of North Florida softball scored runs in five of the seven innings en route to an 8-3 win over Florida A&M on Wednesday evening at the Lady Rattler Softball Complex.
UNF opened up scoring in the top of the second with an Abby Tewey lead-off home run to put the Ospreys up 1-0. However, Florida A&M countered in the bottom of the second, with Brielle Gordon scoring on a Genesis Lopez groundout to tie the game at 1-1.
UNF regained the lead in the top of the fourth with Ashley Holton getting home on a Megan Mihalik sacrifice fly to center field to make it a 2-1 game.
The Ospreys continued to add to their lead with a two-run fifth inning and a three-run sixth. In the fifth, UNF capitalize on a Florida A&M error to score both Tewey and Marissa Thomas. In the sixth, Tewey had a two-run single to right field and Thomas later scored on a Holton groundout to give UNF the 7-1 lead.
Florida A&M put up its final two runs in the bottom of the sixth with Gordon hitting a two-out, two-run double to left center. However, the Ospreys tacked on one last run in the top of the seventh with Danica Mandarano reaching home on a Kelly Wilson single.
Kaylie Wallace pitched all 7.0 innings in order to get the win. Wallace allowed three runs off five hits and struck out five.
Ashley Minter was credited with the loss after allowing two runs – one earned – off six hits and striking out one in 4.0 innings.
Mandarano and Wilson were 3-for-4 and 4-for-5 from the plate, respectively. Meanwhile, Tewey was 2-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored.
UNF returns to action at this weekend’s FIU Tournament. The Ospreys begin the tournament on Friday against Dartmouth at 3 p.m., and FIU at 7 p.m.
