Box Score

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The University of North Florida baseball team bounced back from a disappointing loss on Friday and pounded cross-town rival Jacksonville, 14-7, on Saturday at Harmon Stadium.

Six UNF hitters recorded at least two hits, while Preston Hale, Chad Knight and Travis Martin put up three hits. Hale also walked twice to reach base in all five of his plate appearances. Senior T.J. Gaudy had a game-high three RBIs and duplicated his RBI mark from Friday.

Junior RHP Antonio Franzese improved his record to 2-0 after tossing 5.0 innings of solid relief. He didn't allow a run and struck out seven Dolphins.

UNF (25-20, 14-12 Atlantic Sun Conference) got started early with two runs in the bottom of the first. Sophomore T.J. Thompson led off the Osprey attack with a double and later scored when Knight hit a single to right field, which was booted by JU right fielder Thomas Myers. The error also allowed Knight to advance to second base. Hale drove in Knight in the next at-bat with an RBI single to right field.

The Dolphins (24-23, 13-16) tied it with runs in the second and third innings, but UNF charged back in the bottom of the third to take a 4-2 lead. Martin came through with an RBI single to drive in Knight, which was later followed by Gaudy sacrifice fly to allow Hale to score.

But JU refused to make it easy for the Ospreys and knotted the game at four with two more runs in the top of the fourth on a two-run double by Jamaal Hawkins. After that, the light went off in the heads of the Ospreys, and they decided the game was too close for comfort.

UNF responded with a monstrous five-run bottom of the fourth to up its lead to 9-4. Thompson sparked the rally when he was able to score on a double to right center by Knight. Shortly thereafter, the Ospreys loaded the bases, which set the table for a two-run single by sophomore Andrew Hannon. Senior Andy Warren followed it up with an RBI single up the middle, and Hannon capped the blitzkrieg when he scored on a fielder's choice by Gaudy.

A three-run fifth by JU made things interesting, but UNF refused to let it slip away and put it out of reach for the Dolphins with a combined five runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh. The Ospreys put up seven hits over that stretch.

With the win, UNF came within one victory of retaining the SunTrust Old Wooden Barrel in the SunTrust River City Rumble. The competition is now tied at nine.

The Ospreys will close out the series against JU at 1 p.m. on Sunday at Harmon Stadium. The game will be aired live on WBOB-AM 1320 in Jacksonville and on ASUN.TV.