OXFORD, Ala. – No. 1-seeded North Florida softball clinched its first-ever ASUN Championship tournament title with a 5-4 victory over No. 2-seeded Eastern Kentucky on Saturday evening at Choccolocco Park.
Allison Benning was named ASUN Tournament MVP with Kirsten Caravaca, Lauren Brock and Kylah Berry added on to the ASUN All-Tournament Team.
The Ospreys fought through weather delays and inclement weather to bring the championship trophy back to Jacksonville. UNF faced two different deficits in the early innings but responded to tie in the following frame both times.
Caravaca started the scoring in the first inning with an RBI triple to score Benning from first base. A few innings after, Addyson Bruneman doubled to right center to tie the game once again scoring Grace-Shaw Rockey.
Hadlee Reichert stepped up in the fifth with an RBI double to ignite a three-run inning for the Ospreys with lefty slappers Kalyn McCarthy and Brock earning RBI singles. Kylah Berry came in relief for Benning in a one-run game to pitch 1.1 innings and secure her sixth save of the season for a conference championship title.
UNF 5, EKU 4
Pitchers of Record
Win: Allison Benning (24-5)
Loss: Maddi Rutan (18-10)
Save: Kylah Berry (6)
Line Scores
EKU | 4 R, 6 H, 0 E, 9 LOB
UNF | 5 R, 11 H, 0 E, 5 LOB
Statistical Leaders
UNF
Lauren Brock | 3-4, RBI
Kirsten Caravaca | 2-4, RBI, R
Hadlee Reichert | 1-2, RBI, R
Kalyn McCarthy | 2-3, RBI
Allison Benning | 1-3, R, BB; 5.2 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 4 BB, 5 K, 100 pitches
EKU
Lilly Davis | 1-2, 2 RBI
Maddi Rutan | 1-3, RBI, R, BB; 5.0 IP, 11 H, 5 ER, 4 BB, 1 K, 118 pitches
Jada McLeod | 2-3, RBI, 2 R
