BOCA RATON, Fla. - The Lynn University softball team closed out the 2026 regular season on Senior Day with a doubleheader against Nova Southeastern on Saturday afternoon at the Tish Messinger Stadium. The Fighting Knights dropped the opener, 8-3, before falling 9-0 in five innings in game two.
Prior to first pitch, Lynn honored its senior class featuring six Fighting Knights:
Onnalee Floriano,
Marina Goins,
Isabella Rittle,
Gabriella Lindsey,
Kayley Zazzali and
Cara Willis. The program also recognized assistant coach
Noelle Scott, who will step down from her position after five years with the Fighting Knights.
HOW IT HAPPENED (Game #1):
- Nova Southeastern opened the scoring in the first inning, using a leadoff single, sacrifice bunt and RBI double to take a 1-0 lead
- Lynn was retired in order in each of the first two innings as the Sharks held the early momentum
- Nova added three runs in the third, capitalizing on four hits and a Lynn error to extend the deficit to 4-0
- The Fighting Knights worked around traffic in the fourth, as
Kayley Zazzali forced three straight outs to keep the Sharks off the board
- Nova Southeastern broke the game open in the fifth, using a solo home run, two walks, a groundout and a two-run triple to push the lead to 8-0
- The Blue and White continued to battle in the sixth, as
Onnalee Floriano singled and
Teagan Riley reached on a fielder's choice before both advanced on a wild pitch
-
Marina Goins drove in Floriano with a groundout and Dodson followed with an RBI groundout to score Riley, cutting the margin to 8-3
- Zazzali held Nova Southeastern scoreless over the final two innings, but Lynn was unable to complete the comeback in the seventh
FIGHTING KNIGHT STATS (Game #1):
- Lynn scored 3 runs on 2 hits in the opener
- Floriano and Dodson recorded the Fighting Knights' two hits
- Lockhart, Floriano and Riley each scored one run
- Goins, Dodson and Rittle each drove in one run
- Goins closed the season with 28 hits, 9 doubles and 19 RBI, ranking among Lynn's top run producers
- Floriano finished the year with 28 hits, 16 runs, 15 RBI and a .994 fielding percentage
- Rittle added her fourth RBI of the season with a run-scoring groundout in the fifth
- Zazzali went the distance in the circle, throwing 7.0 innings with one strikeout
- Zazzali finished the season with 78.1 innings pitched, 25 appearances and 23 strikeouts
- Lynn's defense held Nova Southeastern scoreless in the fourth, sixth and seventh innings
HOW IT HAPPENED (Game #2):
-
Gabriella Lindsey opened the game strong in the circle, striking out the first batter of the afternoon before Lynn erased a baserunner attempting to steal third
- The Fighting Knights threatened immediately in the bottom of the first, as
Kyleigh Hope walked,
Onnalee Floriano moved her into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt and Hope advanced to third on a wild pitch
- Lynn was unable to capitalize on the early scoring chance, leaving Hope stranded at third to keep the game scoreless
- Nova Southeastern took control in the second, using a two-run home run, three straight run-scoring hits and a second home run in the inning to open a 9-0 lead
- The Fighting Knights were retired in order in the second, third and fourth innings as the Sharks maintained control
- Lindsey settled back in after the second inning, holding Nova Southeastern scoreless over the final three frames
- Lynn's defense kept the Sharks off the board in the third despite a double and walk, then followed with a clean fourth inning
-
Isabella Rittle recorded Lynn's lone hit in the fifth, singling up the middle with one out
-The Fighting Knights were unable to extend the inning, falling 9-0 in five innings
FIGHTING KNIGHT STATS (Game #2):
- Lynn was held to 1 hit in the second game of the doubleheader
- Rittle recorded the Fighting Knights' lone hit with a fifth-inning single
- Hope reached base with a walk and advanced to third in the first inning
- Floriano added a sacrifice bunt to move Hope into scoring position
- Willis appeared in 37 games this season, totaling 16 hits, 11 runs and 5 stolen bases
- Lindsey threw 5.0 innings in the circle and struck out two batters
- Lindsey closed the season as Lynn's innings leader, throwing 149.0 innings with 7 wins, 11 complete games and 59 strikeouts
