JU squeaks by UNF in thriller

Sunday, May 6

Jacksonville, Fla.

1:00 PM

University of North Florida

19-28, 9-12

Jacksonville

25-24, 10-11

North Florida

Jacksonville

5/6/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

May 6, 2007

Box Score

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The University of North Florida baseball team fell in a 9-8 heartbreaker to Jacksonville in 10 innings on Sunday at John Sessions Stadium after coming back from a three-run deficit in the top of the ninth inning.

UNF (19-28, 9-12 Atlantic Sun Conference) was led at the plate by freshman TJ Thompson, who went 3-for-6 with what could have been his fourth game-winning RBI of the season. Senior Jimmy Glanville exorcised his demons from the night before when he stuck out four times and finished 2-for-4 with two home runs, four RBIs and three runs scored. His most important contribution was his final at-bat.

With the Ospreys down to their final out of the game and trailing 7-4, Glanville blasted a home run over the left field wall that was long gone, also driving in senior Jon Dandridge and redshirt freshman Mycal Jones. The round-tripper tied the game at seven and sent the game to extra innings.

Then in the top of the 10th, Thompson took a line from Glanville in the area of clutch hitting and drove home junior Chad Knight with a one-out single up the middle to give UNF an 8-7 lead.

But in the end it was too good to be true. Pitching for the third consecutive day, sophomore Antonio Franzese (1-4) wasn't able to convert on his third straight save on a tired arm and allowed JU to score the final two runs of the game and put the nail in the coffin. UNF was without its closer Tyler Stohr, who had to sit out after being ejected from Saturday night's game.

UNF put the pressure on right off the bat in the top of the first in what was an inning filled with twists and turns. It looked like the inning was doomed for the Ospreys when sophomore Brian Wilson was thrown out at the plate after a single by Dandridge.

But later in the inning the tide turned for the Ospreys with junior Travis Martin at the plate. JU's starting RHP Matt Davis hurled a pitch that hit the dirt and ricocheted to the backstop, which allowed redshirt freshman Mycal Jones to score. However, JU catcher Jimmy Potucek thought it might have hit Martin and did not go after the ball even though the play was not called dead, which allowed Dandridge to score on the play as well.

Glanville advanced to third on the play, which put a duck on the pond for the sizzling Preston Hale. Hale made good on the opportunity and sliced an RBI single into left field to cap a three-run inning for UNF and get the Ospreys out to a 3-0 lead. The Ospreys went up 4-0 in the next inning when Glanville went the other way and hammered a home run to right field.

Both teams switched roles after that when JU scored six runs in the next four innings and another run in the bottom of the eighth to take the three-run lead. The Ospreys collected only one hit until their ninth inning rally. Freshman John Atteo picked up the no-decision after one of his tougher outings of the season. He allowed four runs on six hits in 4.2 innings and fanned one batter. Redshirt freshman RHP Jonathan Turner came in the game later and was able to hold things together for the Ospreys, striking out three and allowing one unearned run on three hits in 3.2 innings.

The loss came after UNF had the series won with wins on Friday and Saturday and wrapped up the Old Wooden Barrel for the school in the SunTrust River City Rumble. The Ospreys fell to 1-2 in extra inning games this season.

UNF will head to Gainesville, Fla., on Tuesday to take on in-state rival Florida in non-conference action. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. at McKethan Stadium. The Ospreys upset the then-19th-ranked Gators at the Jacksonville Baseball Grounds last season with a 6-5 decision. The game will be broadcast live on WBOB-AM 1320. Live stats will be available on UNFOspreys.com.