DeLAND, Fla. – The University of North Florida baseball team fell 10-6 in the second game of a three-game series with No. 17 Stetson on Saturday afternoon at Melching Field in DeLand, Fla. With the win, the Hatters (33-10, 16-4 A-Sun) claim the series, snapping a streak of five consecutive Atlantic Sun Conference series victories for the Ospreys (23-17, 12-11 A-Sun).
Offensively, North Florida recorded 12 hits on the day, including three extra base hits. However, the Ospreys were hurt by 13 base hits by the Hatters, including five extra base hits.
Four UNF players finished the game with multiple hits. Freshman Shane Kennedy led the way for the Ospreys. Kennedy finished the game 3-for-4 with a double, two runs scored and a pair of RBI. Michael Smith, Andrew Karmeris and Kyle Dahl each had a pair of hits in the game. Dahl hit a two run home run in the third inning. Michael Wesner had the other extra base hit for UNF, a double.
On the mound, the Ospreys surrendered 10 runs on 13 hits. North Florida issued only one walk, but recorded just one strikeout. The one strikeout came against Stetson's Nick Rickles, who is currently the hardest person in the NCAA to strikeout heading into the weekend with just three total strikeouts prior to today's game.
Kyle Westwood got the start for the Ospreys, taking the loss. The sophomore went 2.1 innings, allowing five runs on seven hits in his shortest start of the season. Clayton Schulz entered the game in relief. Schulz surrendered one run in 4.2 innings of work. He walked one and recorded the only strikeout of the day for the Ospreys. Paul Karmeris worked the final inning of relief for UNF. The sophomore gave up four runs on five hits in 1.0 innings of work.
Stetson was the first team to score, plating a run in the bottom of the first inning. A single to center field led off the game for the Hatters. A stolen base and a sacrifice bunt moved the runner to third base with just one out. The next batter lined out for the second out of the season, but A single to right field scored the runner from third base and put the Ospreys behind 1-0.
The Hatters extended their lead in the bottom of the second inning. Back-to-back singles started the inning for the home team. A ground out moved both base runners into scoring position. A double down the left field line plated the first two runs of the inning. A hit batter continued the inning. The lead runner stole third base to put runners on the corners for the Hatters. A sacrifice fly scored the final run of the inning, putting the Ospreys behind 4-0.
The Ospreys cut into the Hatters lead in the top of the third inning. An infield single by Kennedy led off the inning for North Florida. Dahl followed with his fifth home run of the season to cut the deficit to 4-2.
Stetson added a run in the bottom of the third inning. With one out, a double down the right field line put a runner in scoring position for the home team. A hit batter gave the Hatters a pair of base runners. The runners advanced 90 feet closer to home on a wild pitch. An RBI groundout scored the lead runner to extend the Hatters lead to 5-2.
North Florida cut into the lead with a run in the top of the fifth inning. Kennedy led off the inning with a single into left center field and Dahl followed with a single through the left side of the infield. After a pickoff, T.J. Gavlik singled to give UNF runners on the corners and one out. Alex Hernandez scored Dahl from third base with a sacrifice fly to right field, cutting the lead to just a pair of runs at 5-3.
The No. 17 team in the country scored five runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to push the lead to 10-3. The Hatters used six consecutive hits, including back-to-back triples and a double to score five runs and extend their lead to seven runs.
The Ospreys rallied in the ninth inning to close the gap, but were unable to take the lead. Alex Bacon led off the inning with a single to center field. Wesner followed with a double to right center field. Kennedy cleared the bases with a two-RBI double down the left field line. With two outs, Hernandez reached on a fielding error that allowed Kennedy to score from second base. Smith singled through the right side of the inning to continue the inning, but with two runners on base and two outs, the Hatters ended the game by inducing a groundout to second base.
North Florida and Stetson conclude the three-game series with a single game on Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. at Melching Field.
