The University of North Florida Ospreys are making themselves right at home in the ASUN Softball Tournament, becoming the first team to secure two wins in the bracket with a commanding 4-1 victory over third-seeded North Alabama on May 6 at the UNF Softball Complex.

Sophomore pitcher Taylor Cook delivered yet another standout performance in the circle, while junior center fielder Kalyn McCarthy was unstoppable at the plate, going a perfect 3 for 3. McCarthy's all-around game was on full display as she also made seven putouts in center field, singling and scoring during the Ospreys' decisive three-run second inning that set the tone for the afternoon.

The seventh-seeded Ospreys (38-20) now advance to a winner's bracket showdown on May 7 at 2:30 p.m. against No. 2-seeded Stetson (33-20). The Hatters enter as the conference's offensive powerhouse, leading in nearly every statistical category, and earned a double bye alongside top seed Central Arkansas (34-18-1).

Meanwhile, the Sugar Bears will face fourth-seeded Jacksonville (34-18), which punched its ticket with a 6-2 win over No. 5 Florida Gulf Coast, in a noon matchup on May 7.

As defending ASUN Tournament champions, the Ospreys carry a target on their backs—and head coach Jeff Conrad isn't shy about reminding his squad of what they've already accomplished. "We make it hard for them to forget about it," Conrad said. "We bring it up a lot. We show them the trophy and remind them it's still in our room. We have experience on this roster, kids who have returned who know what it's like to win this tournament, but we brought in kids that won tournaments in other leagues. They understand what it takes this time of year."

The confidence is building at the perfect moment. After a rocky start to conference play that saw the Ospreys fall to 2-7 following a sweep at Stetson, UNF has turned things around dramatically, going 11-6 since that low point. McCarthy, a key piece of last year's championship run, believes the team is peaking at the right time. "We're so good when we're confident," said McCarthy, who has been on fire at the plate with a .435 average (10 for 23) over her last 12 games and has committed just one error all season. "We're beating teams and we're going to stay up there. We're playing more as a team now."

With the double-elimination format in full swing, the Ospreys are proving that experience and belief can carry a team far—and they're not ready to hand over that trophy just yet. Whether you're backing the defending champs or just love a good underdog story, this ASUN Tournament is shaping up to be one for the books.