The Ospreys squared off against ASUN foe North Alabama on Saturday in a doubleheader. This showdown proved successful for UNF as they swept the UNA Lions in their final outing of the regular season.

It was a special day for the team, as the Ospreys celebrated senior day in a culmination of a regular season like no other. Great festivities highlighted the afternoon, but the Ospreys would also follow this up on the diamond with a strong performance.

Taking the mound for UNF in game one was Halle Arends, who was riding the momentum of a scoreless outing on Wednesday against FAU. After a quick top half of the first, it didn’t take long for the UNF bats to heat up, as a Shannon Glover RBI double put the Ospreys ahead 1-0.

Things would quiet down on both sides, with the next action coming in the bottom of the fourth, with a Logan Jackson sacrifice fly increasing UNF’s lead to 2-0. Arends’ strong pitching continued into Saturday’s contest, with the ace tossing eight strikeouts through her first five innings.  

Logan Jackson would come through for UNF yet again when she belted a three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth. Now up 5-0, the Ospreys only needed three more outs to secure a win in the opener. A two-run triple by UNA’s Madi Nunez would end the shutout bid for Arends, but UNF would ultimately hold on to win 5-2.

In their last outing, the Ospreys also took the opener but would fall in the latter game. However, Saturday was a different story as they stayed strong and prevailed in the second game.

Morgan Clausen got the nod to start at pitcher in the second game, getting off to a strong start early on. The junior recorded five strikeouts through her first four innings, as the game was knotted at a scoreless tie. This silence would end when a Brittany Sundermeier RBI double in the bottom of the fourth put UNF on top 1-0.

The Lions would answer this time, though, with Sidney Bevis knocking a home run to the right field to tie the game 1-1. The offense was stirring all throughout the UNF Softball Complex at this time, as the Ospreys prepared for a powerful bottom of the fifth inning. 

The charge would begin with a two-run single by Ashley Goebel, taking a 3-1 lead. Rebecca Koskey then singled, scoring Shannon Glover to add on to the lead. Brittany Sundermeier would yet again make her presence known, as she tacked on another run with an RBI single. The final run of the fifth-inning push would take place when Sundermeier took off for second, allowing Koskey to steal home to put the Ospreys up 6-1. 

The Lions would push one runner across to minimize the deficit to four runs, but UNF would ultimately prevail 6-2. Both games were highlighted by stellar full-game pitching performances, along with strong offense to pull off the doubleheader sweep.

This caps off the regular season for UNF, who will be taking on Jacksonville next Friday to fight for a spot in the ASUN Championship Final Four in Kennesaw. Be sure to follow along with Spinnaker for the latest on UNF softball.

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