North Florida Knocks Off UVa, 6-3
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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. The Virginia softball team (2-9) dropped its first game of the JU Softball Tournament to North Florida, 6-3, Friday in Jacksonville, Fla. The Cavaliers out-hit the Ospreys 9-8 but committed seven errors in the contest. Meghan O’Leary, Kelly Haller and Lauren McCaskey each tallied two hits in the game for Virginia.
Third-year Karla Wilburn (1-4) took the loss in the circle for UVa. Wilburn threw four innings and gave up six runs on six hits, though only two of the runs were earned. Whitney Holstun came on in relief and pitched three innings and didn’t allow a hit but had two unearned runs come across to score. Holstun also fanned three batters in the outing.
After a scoreless first, each team put a run on the board in the second inning. Two errors by Virginia led to an unearned run for North Florida. The Cavaliers got the run back in the bottom of the inning. Abby Snyder led off with a single to left field and Wilburn moved Snyder over to second on a sacrifice bunt. McCaskey singled through the right side to put Snyder on third. With two on and one out, Kierstie Cameron popped a sacrifice fly out to center that scored Snyder on the tag.
The Ospreys added another run in the top of the fourth to take a 2-1 lead before scoring four more times in the fifth.
Virginia cut the lead to three in the bottom of the fourth, adding two runs. Courtney Pettit led off the inning as a pinch hitter and reached first on a walk. Third-year Sarah Tacke then doubled to right center, moving Pettit to third. The next two batters, O’Leary and Carly Winger, grounded out. With two outs, Lindsey Preuss reached on an error by the UNF third baseman that also moved Tacke to third and scored Pettit. Haller then belted a RBI single to score Tacke. Preuss and Haller later reached third and second, respectively, on a wild pitch but Snyder flied out to end the inning.
The Cavaliers held North Florida scores in the top of the seventh but went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning to end the game.
Virginia plays Stony Brook at 2:45 p.m. Friday at the JU Softball Field.