JACKSONVILLE, Fla – It wasn't always pretty. But it sure was gritty.
On Friday night, in a rubber match with the North Florida Ospreys, Jacksonville gutted out a 9-8 win at home. The victory gave Jacksonville not only the series win over its rival but the season series win after defeating UNF four times in six contests.
Jacksonville ends its regular season with a 32-19 record and a 16-8 conference total. This season's win total is the most wins under head coach
Erica Ayers and the most wins by the program since 2011 when the team won the conference tournament and made it to the NCAA tournament.
Friday's game didn't start Jacksonville's way, as the Dolphins found themselves down 5-0 in the bottom of the second. That's when the magic started happening.
Freshman
Jaida Thomas started the scoring with yet another double, a ground-rule double to boot, scoring two runners and getting JU on the board. Graduate student
Sarah Beth Brake followed with a three-RBI double to even the score.
Thomas' double was her ninth of the season while Brake hit her team-best 13
th.
Behind Brake's trio of RBIs, she set the single-season RBI record with 52 and counting. The first-year 'Phin usurped Amanda Schmidt's record of 50 set back in the '11 championship season.
With the game tied, it was then senior Lindsay Chadwick's turn to make some magic. On a full count, Chadwick lifted a ball to right-center that escaped the park and saw three Dolphins come home to blow the game wide open. Chadwick's homer was the ninth of her final season, good for second on the team.
UNF came back in the fifth, tying the game at eight-all which stood until the freshman Thomas found herself back at the plate.
With a single swing of the bat, Thomas smacked a ball over the infield that allowed fellow frosh
Vic Brunette to scamper home. The run served as the game-winner, but not without a close call in the seventh.
Coming back into the game after starting,
Jacy Harrelson found herself with runners on second and third with two outs in the top of the seventh. Harrelson found her composure and managed a fly-out on UNF's final batter that ended the game and saw the 'Phins mob the infield to celebrate the win.
Harrelson earned her second save of the year, pitching 3 1/3 innings and allowing just two earned runs.
Reese Wells picked up the win (7-6) behind 3 2/3 innings pitched.
On senior night, Thomas led the squad with a 3-4 showing at the plate. Brake tied Thomas in total RBIs with three.
Alison Carter, who played her final regular season game inside Pruitt Softball Complex, went 1-4. Also graduating,
Kate Linkletter scored a run and got plunked by a pitch her for 26
th HBP which continues to lead the nation.
No hit was arguably bigger than Chadwick's however, which still might be flying somewhere in the limbs and branches beyond the center field wall.
Jacksonville now turns its sights to the ASUN Tournament, where the 'Phins have already clinched their berth. The Dolphins will wait for the rest of the league to finish playing on Saturday before learning their seed. The ASUN Tournament begins May 5
th at the University of North Florida.
COACH'S COMMENTS
"They continue to impress," Ayers said. "So much heart. I love this team."
RELIVE THE MOMENTS
