Reload and Swoop: UNF softball program will have a solid nucleus of players back for 2023
The University of North Florida’s softball season ended at home in the ASUN tournament, and in a rough fashion with a pair of routs at the hands of champion Liberty.
But the Ospreys can take a number of impressive accomplishments into next year — and with many of the players who had a hand in the successes of 2022 returning.
Flaming early: Liberty jumps on UNF in first again to capture second ASUN title in a row
Staying alive: North Florida rallies from loser’s bracket to face Liberty in championship game
• UNF matched its previous high for victories in the Division I era with a final record of 42-17 and doubled its victory total from 2021.
• The Ospreys played in the ASUN title game for the second time in the last three full seasons (discounting the pandemic year of 2020). After entering the tournament as the third seed, UNF beat No. 2 seeded Central Arkansas twice.
• The core pitching staff of seniors Morgan Clausen, Erin Kyle and Izzy Kelly, and junior Halle Arends, set the school record for hurling 56 consecutive scoreless innings and eight shutout games in a row, and 75 innings in a row without giving up an earned run.
• A 13-game winning streak, with those eight consecutive shutouts in the middle, was a school record in the Division I era.
• UNF led the ASUN in team ERA (1.64), shutouts (18) and fewest home runs allowed (seven), and tied for fifth in the NCAA in shutouts and was sixth in ERA, prior to the ASUN tournament.
• Clausen (1.25), Arends (1.74) and Kyle (1.88) were first, second and third in the ASUN in ERA. Arends finished the regular and tournament season leading the conference with 20 victories.
Coach Marcie Higgs, who has now won 379 career games since coming to UNF 14 years ago, said the team that was cobbled together with some key transfers and returning veterans came together quickly by winning eight of their first nine and stayed remarkably consistent all season. The Ospreys won six of their eight ASUN series and swept four.
“I think they’re going to remember the comradery and their team chemistry,” she said. “The games like we had against Central Arkansas [UNF went 5-0 against the Bears, all by one or two runs, with two in extra innings], the ones that you had to fight tooth and nail and you manage to come out on top.”
Junior left fielder Shannon Glover, one of five positions players returning for next season, said the hurt of losing 9-1 and 9-0 to Liberty in the tournament (on the heels of getting swept by the Flames during the regular season) will dissipate, enabling the returning players to look forward with optimism to next season and the departing seniors and graduates to remember the season fondly.
“We’re losing some people but I’m excited about the young talent we’re bringing in,” said Glover who hit .341 and led UNF with nine homers and was second to departing player Paige Pfent in RBI with 38. “We had such a great run this season and I hope to carry it over to next season. We have high expectations of ourselves and hopefully, we’ll get it done next year. But it’s been a great year.”
In addition to Glover, third baseman Abi Annett, center fielder Kayla Harper, shortstop Savannah Channell and utility player Logan Jackson are back next year. Returning in the circle is ASUN victories leader Halle Arends (20-6), and seniors Clausen and Kelly have eligibility remaining.
UNF’s incoming freshman class will fill several needs, with Kirsten Caravaca of Davie competing at catcher, Amanda Aardema of Indiana at pitcher, and two players from Brandenton, first baseman Taylor Shephard and Kelsey Vogel on the infield.
“We’re going to lean heavily on the returners, we have some really talented freshmen coming in and we’re going to be in the transfer portal to fill some holes immediately,” Higgs said. “I think things will come together for us again next year.”
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: UNF softball program will have a solid nucleus of players back for 2023
