University of North Florida
The University of Alabama in Huntsville
Knowles leads UNF past UAH, 9-3, in opener of UAH Classic
2/25/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (Feb. 25, 2005) - Senior first baseman Marion Knowles went 5-for-5 with a home run, five RBIs and three runs scored to lead the 18th-ranked University of North Florida baseball team to a 9-3 win over Alabama-Huntsville on Friday in the opening game of UAH Spring Classic at Paterson Field.
Knowles hit a three-run home run in the second inning to put the Ospreys (8-5) ahead 3-0 and then followed with a two-run single in the ninth to put the game away. Jonathan Hodach was 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs for the Ospreys, who scattered 14 hits and scored five runs over the final two innings.
Colin Fender (3-0) earned the win in relief, pitching 2.2 scoreless innings while striking out five. UNF's Josh Papelbon earned his fourth save, allowing only one hit over the final two innings.
"We got good games from a lot of guys today and got some big hits late in the game," UNF head coach Dusty Rhodes said. "A lot of guys had their best games today."
Tyde Meadows (1-2) suffered the loss for the 19th- ranked Chargers (2-3), allowing nine hits and six earned runs in 7.1 innings. He allowed four runs in the second, three coming on Knowles' three-run home run and the other on Hodach's solo shot. He settled down from there, stymieing the UNF offense for the next five innings before being lifted with one out in the eighth.
The UAH bullpen struggled, however, allowing two inherited runners to score in the eighth and three more in the ninth. David Pressley finished 3-for-4 with two RBIs for the Chargers, while catcher Brian Nash was 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.
UNF starter Kyle Aylor pitched well, allowing six hits and three earned runs in 4.2 innings but was lifted after Pressley's two-run single in the fifth.
The Ospreys will play two more games in the series, facing Peach Belt foe Columbus State in a non- conference matchup on Saturday at 4 p.m. ET and then fifth-ranked Tampa on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET. Sunday's game will be aired live on www.unf.edu/sports.
