March 15, 2007
Box Score
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The University of North Florida baseball team put itself in position to grab another win from Indiana on Wednesday night, but costly mistakes caused the Ospreys to fall 10-9 to the Hoosiers at Harmon Stadium.
UNF (9-12) hammered out 14 hits and had five players with multiple hit games. The Ospreys were led offensively by senior right fielder Jon Dandridge, who went 3-for-6 at the plate with a home run, four RBIs and one run scored. Dandridge, who has 11 hits in his last 18 at-bats, collected his ninth multiple hit game this season and extended his hitting streak to five games.
The Ospreys owned the lead twice but weren't able to hold it. A colossal seven-run bottom of the fourth helped UNF take a 7-4 lead. An RBI double by senior Damon Olinto put the snowball in motion. Junior third baseman Mike Smith drove in Olinto with an RBI single and went all the way to third base when IU's center fielder let the ball get by him, which also allowed junior designated hitter Travis Martin to score.
Freshman Andrew Hannon picked up his first career RBI when his single down the left field line drove in Smith. Dandridge put the icing on the cake with a three-run home run to dead center, also driving in redshirt freshman Mycal Jones and Hannon.
The Hoosiers snatched the lead from UNF in the fifth and sixth, combined for four runs to go up 8-7. But the Ospreys had different plans in the bottom of the sixth. Dandridge blasted an RBI single which allowed Jones to score. Olinto grounded into a double play two at-bats later, but junior Chad Knight was able to hustle home and score on the play to help the Ospreys regain the lead at 9-8.
But UNF pitching wasn't able to get it done, allowing IU runs in the seventh and eighth innings. The Ospreys had a rough go of it on the hill, as the Hoosiers scored in all but two innings. Indiana also burned UNF on the bases, notching nine stolen bases.
Glanville, Jones, Knight and Smith all had multiple hit games. Senior RHP Dicarlo Thompson started the game and went 3.2 innings with three earned runs on five hits and four strikeouts in the no-decision. Sophomore Antonio Franzese (0-3) picked up the tough loss after hurling 2.1 innings and allowing one run on three hits.
The Ospreys will open Atlantic Sun play this weekend against Stetson in a three-game showdown. The first game will be at 7 p.m. on Friday and will be televised on Comcast-Jacksonville. It will also be broadcast live on WIOJ-AM 1010 in Jacksonville.
