Ospreys take two from Bears

Saturday, April 1

Macon, Ga.

12:00 PM

University of North Florida

16-13, 9-4

MERCER

19-14, 6-4

North Florida

Mercer

4/1/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

April 1, 2006

Game One Box l Game Two Box

MACON, Ga. - North Florida's baseball team moved into sole possession of first place in the Atlantic Sun Conference as it took both games of a doubleheader against Mercer on Saturday afternoon at Claude Smith Field. Matt Oxendine went 4-for-5 in the first game to lead the Ospreys to an 8-3 victory, and Ryan Amason pitched eight innings to guide UNF to a 5-3 win game two.

"It was very big for us to go to their place and get a sweep today," UNF head coach Dusty Rhodes said. "We got a great effort from all the guys and hopefully we can carry that over into tomorrow."

In game one UNF roughed up Mercer starter Hunter Abercrombie for 10 hits and four runs through the first three innings. Oxendine led off the game with a single to right field and came around to score on a Travis Martin single to begin the UNF hit parade. Jonathan Hodach doubled to left field - plating Martin to give the Ospreys an early 2-0 lead.

UNF (17-13, 10-4 A-Sun) added a run in the second on an RBI single by Jimmy Glanville and plated one more in the third as Brandon Diaz scored on an error by left fielder Jason Lowey.

The Bears (19-15, 6-5 A-Sun) tried to claw back by tallying two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning behind run producing hits from John Dortch and Sean McCahill - cutting the lead to 4-2.

UNF continued its offensive explosion - adding an insurance run in the sixth inning and two in the eighth. Andrew Chapman capped off the game with his first career home run in the top of the ninth inning.

Brad Johnson (4-1) went six innings and allowed two unearned runs to win his third straight decision. Jared Incinelli pitched the final three innings allowing just one and recorded four strikeouts to earn his first save of the season.

Brennan Grogan went 3-for-6 six with two RBIs and Grant Rogers went 3-for-5 with a run scored in game one. Martin, Hodach, and Chapman each had two hits in the game.

Game two started much like game one as the Ospreys built a 3-0 lead heading into the bottom of the fourth inning, but Josh Thompson lifted a three-run home run over the center field wall to tie the game at three.

The bats for both teams went stagnant in the fifth and sixth innings, but Glanville picked the perfect time for his first career home run with a towering two-run shot over the wall in left field to put the Ospreys on top for good.

Josh Papelbon came in to work the ninth to earn his fifth save of the season. However, it wasn't easy as he allowed a lead off single to Shawn Barrett. Casey Stuart came in to pinch run for Barrett and advanced to second on an erroant pickoff attempt by Papelbon, but the submarine style hurler was able to work his way out of the jam. Merer catcher Josh Thompson lined into a double play and pinch hitter, Andrew Einert, flew out to center field to end the game.

Amason surrendered just three hits and struck out four batters to improve to 4-3 on the year. Glanville went 3-for-4 at the dish with two RBIs and catcher James Belyea chipped in with a 2-for-4 performance with a run scored.

The Ospreys and Bears will conclude the series tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m. UNF will send out southpaw Jeremy Papelbon to the mound, while Mercer will counter with left-hander Shawn Barrett.