March 17, 2007
Box Score
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The University of North Florida baseball team ran into windy circumstances on Saturday in a 12-2 loss to Stetson at Harmon Stadium.
UNF (9-14, 0-2 Atlantic Sun) allowed four Stetson home runs - two of which were routine fly balls to right field that were grabbed by the heavy wind and pushed over the fence. Junior starting RHP Travis Martin (2-2) was roughed up by the hard-hitting Hatters, allowing seven runs on nine hits while striking out two in 3.2 innings.
Sophomore RHP Antonio Franzese also ran into trouble against the Stetson hitters, allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits in 2.1 innings. Freshman Ryan McCoy did fare better than Martin and Franzese, going three innings and giving up just one hit and an unearned run.
The Hatters (17-6, 2-0) got the scoring started in the top of the first inning, with a two-run home run by Braedyn Pruitt. But the Ospreys quickly responded in the bottom of the second when senior right fielder Jon Dandridge hammered a leadoff double down the right field line.
Senior left fielder Damon Olinto moved Dandridge to third when he beat out a sacrifice bunt attempt for an infield single. Freshman designated hitter T.J. Thompson followed it up by grounding into a double play, but Dandridge was able to score to cut the Stetson lead to 2-1.
But a two-run blast by SU's Justin Bass in the top of the third put the Hatters up 3-2 and began an onslaught of runs. Stetson added eight more over the next four innings to put the game out of reach for the Ospreys. UNF's other run came in the bottom of the sixth when junior second baseman Chad Knight blasted a leadoff double to left center field and later scored on a wild pitch.
The Ospreys were flawless in the field until the top of the seventh when the committed all three of their errors. The first error was a ground ball that went through junior third baseman Andy Warren's legs and the other two were throwing errors by UNF infielders.
Sophomore center fielder Brian Wilson led UNF at the plate, going 2-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to nine games. Knight went 1-for-3 with a run scored and extended his hitting streak to seven games.
The Ospreys will wrap up their three-game series with Stetson at 1 p.m. tomorrow at Harmon Stadium. The game will be broadcast live on WIOJ-AM 1010 in Jacksonville. Audio and live stats will be available on UNFOspreys.com.
