JACKSONVILLE | The ASUN’s two softball heavyweights have set a date, and they did it at the expense of the conference’s two Jacksonville-based universities.
No. 1-seeded Central Arkansas and No. 2 Stetson both won their firstASUN Tournamentgames on May 7 at the University of North Florida’s Softball Complex and will play in the winner’s bracket final on May 8 at noon.
Stetson first baseman Nicole Edmiaston was 2 for 2 and relief pitcher Hayley Arnold threw 2.2 hitless innings in a 4-2 victory overNorth Floridaand UCA’s Addie Graham slammed a three-run homer during a five-run second inning and the Sugar Bears went on torun-rule Jacksonville University8-0 in five innings.
Stetson (34-20) and Central Arkansas (35-18-1) last played in the 2025 ASUN Tournament in Oxford, Ala., with the Hatters winning 10-1. The Bears won three regular-season matchups versus the Hatters before that.
Stetson leads the ASUN in team batting average (.315) and Central Arkansas (.312) is second. UCA leads in runs per game (6.12) and Stetson (6.1) is second.
Seventh-seeded UNF (38-21) played No. 3 North Alabama (36-15) in an elimination game after its loss to Stetson. JU (34-19) faces the UNF-North Alabama winner on May 8 at 2:30 p.m.
Arnold closed the door on UNF rally
Stetson took a 2-0 lead in the second when Gabby David walked, Nadia English singled and UNF left fielder Hallie Langford misplayed Madelyn Synoracki’s single into a two-base error.
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The Hatters scored in the third inning when David drew a bases-loaded walk and added another run in the fourth when Synoracki singled, went to second on Gia Napoli’s sacrifice and scored on Edmiaston’s single.
Starting pitcher Ava Braswell (18-10) was relieved by Arnold afterUNF’s Addyson Brunemanhit her second homer of the tournament with one out and Hannah Davila aboard in the fifth. After Kalyn McCarthy singled, Arnold entered the circle and got the final two outs of the inning on a fielder’s choice grounder and fly ball.
Arnold allowed only two baserunners, both walks, to get her second save of the season.
UNF pitcher Taylor Cook (9-6), who had won the first two games of the tournament for the Ospreys, gave up five hits and three walks in 2.2 innings.
UCA’s Baile Runner one out from a no-hitter
Central Arkansas pitcher Bailey Runner was one out away from the first no-hitter in the ASUN since 2022 before the Dolphins’ Emma Mansfield broke it up in the fifth on a single down the line in left. Runner faced the minimum over the first 4.2 innings, with JU’s only baserunner over that span coming when Runner hit Tatum McCool with a pitch to lead off the third.
Runner got Vic Brunette to bounce back to her, starting a double play.
In addition to Addison’s homer, her fifth of the season, Renee Christian and Grace Molitor each had two-run doubles.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union:Stetson, UCA win ASUN softball games to set up battle of unbeatens