Jacksonville, Fla. -- After falling 6-4 to host UNF in game one of an Atlantic Sun Conference doubleheader Saturday afternoon, Stetson broke out the bats for an 8-3 win in the rematch.
The Hatters (22-12, 1-1 A-Sun) scored five runs in the third inning alone and finished Game 2 with a season-high 15 hits.
Freshman Curstin Taylor (2-1) earned her first career complete-game victory, allowing just three runs on nine hits while striking out three. She did not walk a batter.
Molly Shasteen led the Hatters with five hits on the day. Brittany Hawn, Ashly Smith, and Jessie TenBroeck each collected four hits. TenBroeck also scored four runs and stole three bases, bringing her league-leading total to 25.
Stetson's five-run third inning in game two was highlighted by two key hits with the bases loaded. TenBroeck doubled down the left field line to score the first two runs of the inning, and Smith later singled home two more. Shasteen added a two-out RBI single to put Stetson ahead 5-1.
The Ospreys (12-17, 1-1) battled back with a run in the third and a run in the fifth to make it a 5-3 game. However, centerfielder Jazz Vasquez cut down Katie Mandig trying to score from second to end the Osprey's rally in the fifth.
That play helped shift momentum back in the Hatters favor as Stetson tacked on two more runs in the sixth. Vasquez hit a sacrifice fly to score Hawn, and Smith tripled into the right field corner to score TenBroeck.
Hawn doubled home Shasteen in the seventh inning to cap the scoring.
The teams will play the series rubber game at 1 p.m. Sunday.
Notes: Brittany Hawn became the seventh player in school history to record 400 career assists ... Jessica Griffin moved into a tie for fifth place all-time with her 34th career double ... The Hatters hit .365 on the day with 23 hits (19 singles, three doubles, one triple) ... Stetson started the third inning with six consecutive hits ... Jazz Vasquez had two outfield assists on the day and Kelsey Waters had one ... The Hatters stole six bases and did not commit an error.
