University of North Florida
UCF
Ospreys blank UCF, 13-0
2/18/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 18, 2006
ORLANDO, Fla. - After leaning heavily on spectacular defense and pitching in the first game of the series, the University of North Florida bats finally woke up, as the Ospreys were able to bang out 15 hits to earn a 13-0 win and their second win of the series over in-state rival UCF.
"The guys played a good game today," UNF head coach Dusty Rhodes said. "They swung the bats much better than they have been. This was a totally different story than yesterday's game or even the last week and a half. Now we have to go back to work tomorrow and try and get a third win."
The UNF offense was led by senior shortstop Matt Oxendine's 3-for-4 performance at the plate. The Wellington, Fla., native also walked twice and scored a pair of runs. Junior left fielder Damon Olinto led the way with three RBIs. Nine Ospreys collected at least one hit, while four UNF players collected multiple hits.
Olinto, senior third baseman Grant Rogers and junior catcher Brandon Diaz homered for the Ospreys.
Junior left-hander Jeremy Papelbon (1-0) turned in a strong performance on the mound for the Ospreys tossing seven innings allowing no runs on three hits, while striking out seven Golden Knight batters to help the Ospreys shutout UCF in back-to-back games, while earning his first win of the season.
UNF senior right-hander Jason Kracunas and freshman John Frawley each worked an inning in the win. Frawley cut down two Golden Knights on strikes.
The last time the Golden Knights (1-4) were shutout in back-to-back games was 1993 when Vanderbilt and LSU both blanked UCF. The last time the same team shutout the Knights in back-to-back games was 23 years ago when Rollins held UCF scoreless in consecutive games.
UNF (4-3) jumped out to an early lead by pounding out five hits in the first inning en route to a four-run inning - the club's highest single-inning output of the season. Oxendine opened the game by slapping Kyle Sweat's first pitch of the game down the left field line for a stand up double. On the ensuing at bat senior center fielder Brennan Grogan singled to right field to score Oxendine and give UNF a 1-0 lead with no outs in the inning. After a single by sophomore first baseman Jimmy Glanville, Olinto drove the ball over the right field fence to give the Ospreys a 4-0 lead and their first home run of the season.
The Ospreys added a single run in the top of the fourth inning when Rogers drove a Sweat pitch over the left field wall for a two-out, one-run home run that gave UNF a 5-0 lead.
UNF extended its lead to seven runs in the top of the sixth inning when Diaz tagged a Mitch Houck pitch over the left center field fence for a two-run home run.
The Ospreys added six runs on six hits in the top of the eighth inning to push their lead to 13-0. The rally was highlighted by a Diaz double to right center field and a two-run single by sophomore infielder Chad Knight. Twelve batters came to the plate for UNF in the eighth.
The Ospreys and the Golden Knights will conclude their three-game series Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for noon ET.
