The Jacksonville Dolphins fell short in both games of a Saturday doubleheader against the visiting UNCW Seahawks on day two of the JU/UNF Invitational.

GAME ONE

The Dolphins and Seahawks geared up for Saturday morning softball, with a 10 AM start time. The game was originally scheduled for 1:30 PM but was moved up to 10:00 to navigate expected inclement weather.

Reese Wells got the start, navigating through the first, after giving up a one-out triple. The 'Phins would go down quietly in the bottom of the inning, and the Seahawks responded with a pair of runs off a triple in the second inning, to see the visitors with an early 2-0 lead.

Jacksonville would answer back in the bottom half of the inning. An Averi Harcus double brought home Alison Carter, which made the score 2-1. Jacksonville was unable to capitalize off Harcus's double, and they left one runner stranded.

In the top of the third, UNCW would extend its lead with a base hit RBI, making it 3-1. Jacksonville put runners on bases in both the third and fourth innings, which included loading the bases in the fourth with two outs, but no damage was done. 

JU battled and were rewarded with a two run bottom of the fifth inning, which put the Dolphins down just one after UNCW had scored in the top half of the inning. UNCW would go three up and three down, putting the 'Phins back up to the plate to try and tie things up or take the lead. They did just that with a Lindsey Chadwick RBI single, tying the game at 4-4.

Both teams put up a scoreless seventh, which sent the game into extra innings. With the NCAA extra inning rules now placing a runner at second base when a game goes into extras, the Seahawks took advantage of this, laying down a sacrifice bunt to move the runner to third. A sacrifice fly would give UNCW the lead 5-4 in the top of the 8th, giving the Dolphins one more chance to tie the game or win, but unfortunately, the JU comeback fell just short, as UNCW took game one.

Eight Dolphins reached base in game one, which included Allison Bratek and Kari Holzrichter reaching twice.

GAME TWO

Jacksonville started Skylar Waggoner on the mound, and hoped for a bounce back after falling just short in game one. The Seahawks carried its momentum from game one into game two, and plated four runners in the first inning.

The Dolphins would respond with Madison Reynolds getting on base with a walk and later in the inning Kailey Harrigan would drive her in with an RBI double to cut the deficit to 4-1.

In the following half-inning, the Seahawks hit a sac-fly to extend the lead to 5-1.

The Dolphins would keep competing, with Waggoner only giving up three more hits throughout the rest of the game, but the 'Phins were held scoreless for the remainder of the game, with the final score being 5-1.

UP NEXT

Jacksonville will be back at home next Friday for the UNF/JU Classic with the first game of the weekend facing off against Harvard at 1:30 pm.