The University of North Florida softball team secured its place in the conference tournament in dominant fashion, sweeping Jacksonville over the weekend. Standout two-way star Allison Benning made history along the way, setting the all-time mark for home runs by an Osprey both in a single season and throughout her career. At the same time, head coach Jeff Conrad added to the celebration by becoming the fastest coach to reach 100 wins in the program’s Division I era.

Game 1

Jacksonville started strong in the first game, scoring two runs in the first inning off of senior Osprey right-hander Allison Benning. Catcher Averi Harcus got the key hit for the Dolphins,  driving a 1-1 pitch into the left-center field gap, allowing outfielders Madison Bratek and Haley Fox to score. JU plated another run the next inning with an RBI single from Bratek that scored shortstop Kiersten Stevens. This extended the Dolphin lead to 3-0.

In the fourth inning, Allison Benning made history, blasting a pitch beyond the centerfield wall to give the Ospreys their first run of the night. That roundtripper was Benning’s 32nd in her Osprey career, breaking the all-time mark for career home runs previously held by Shannon Glover.

Down 3-1 going into the seventh inning, the Ospreys began to rally. Senior outfielder Chloe Culp began the frame with a sharp single up the middle, and then senior catcher Mackenzie Woods reached base on a throwing error by Dolphin third baseman Gabby Baylog. The next batter, senior infielder Hadlee Reichert, capitalized on the mistake to drive home both runners with an RBI double to tie the game at three. 

From there, the contest moved into extra innings, with both pitching staffs working hard to keep the opposing offense from notching the winning run. The game remained scoreless until the 10th inning, when Averi Harcus once again proved troublesome for the Ospreys, delivering an RBI single up the middle to bring home the placed runner on second base and give the Dolphins a 4-3 lead. (Under ASUN rules, beginning in the 10th inning, a runner is automatically placed on second base to expedite scoring.)

The Ospreys refused to quit going into their half of the 10th. Senior infielder Lauren Brock collected an RBI single up the middle to score the placed runner, sophomore outfielder Kalyn McCarthy, to tie the game at four. After Brock advanced to third on a wild pitch and a fielder’s choice, Chloe Culp came through with a clutch single to lift the Ospreys over the Dolphins in dramatic walk-off fashion. Culp finished the night going 4-5 with four singles, becoming the 25th Osprey in the program’s D-1 history to notch four hits in a game.

Game 2

The second game of the series opened up with an offensive explosion from the Ospreys. Junior catcher Kirsten Caravaca opened the scoring with an RBI single off of Dolphin pitcher Jordan White. Junior infielder Kelsey Vogel followed that up with a bases-clearing triple, and then scored on a wild pitch to extend the early Osprey lead to 5-0. Then, an error on JU second baseman Jazz Jones allowed two more runs to cross the plate to give UNF a seven-run advantage..

From there, junior Kylah Berry, sophomore Cameron Ponich, and senior Ashley Connor combined to pitch four innings, allowing just one run on two hits, securing the win for the Ospreys. Chloe Culp added a two-run single and Kelsey Vogel walked to drive in a run to put the finishing touches on the 10-1 rout.

Game 3

Allison Benning continued her record-breaking ways in the series finale, launching a solo shot to straightaway center (her 17th of the year) to set a new UNF single-season home run record and give the Ospreys an early 1-0 lead. 

UNF scored two more runs in the third, one on an error by Dolphin third baseman Alayna Gaddy and another on an RBI single through the left side by freshman outfielder Grace Shaw-Rockey. The Ospreys then added another run in the sixth on a solo drive to center field by Mackenzie Woods, her fifth of the season.

Benning was just as dominant in the circle as she was in the batter’s box, tossing a complete game while allowing only one run on three hits and striking out five to earn her 19th win of the season. The only blemish to her outing was a solo homer by Alayna Gaddy in the seventh, but it wasn’t enough to derail the Ospreys, who came away with a 4-1 win and punched their ticket to the upcoming ASUN Conference tournament.

Post-Game Thoughts

After the series, head coach Jeff Conrad reflected on the milestone of 100 career wins, crediting his team and his coaching staff for the success.

“It’s a credit to them [the team], just a bunch of hard-working kids that love one another and enjoy… competing every day,” he said. “Mario [Hernandez] and Amber [Fiser] work hard every day to make sure that this thing is moving in the direction I want it to move in.”

Allison Benning echoed similar thoughts about her record-breaking season, noting her own disbelief after what she has accomplished.

“Honestly, if you would have told me when I was in the transfer portal that I would be here, doing this, I would’ve laughed in your face,” she said. “So I’m very grateful for everyone who’s helped me accomplish this goal, and I’m just super honored.”

Up Next

The Ospreys welcome Queens into the UNF softball complex for a doubleheader to kick off the final home series of the season. The first pitch of the opening game is scheduled for 2 p.m.