May 8, 2007

Box Score

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - The University of North Florida baseball team notched another upset over an in-state rival in a 15-8 drubbing over Florida on a smoky Tuesday evening at McKethan Stadium.

The Ospreys (20-28) played through heavy smoke from nearby wildfires and gave the Gators more than they bargained for. UNF's top three hitters went 7-for-16 while senior Jimmy Glanville, freshman Preston Hale and junior Chad Knight each had three RBIs. Both Glanville and freshman TJ Thompson collected three hits. UNF was also stellar in the field, turning five double plays which was one off the team record for most in a game.

UNF improved its all-time series record to 2-0 over Florida and picked up its second win of the season over a team that was previously ranked. It was UNF's largest margin of victory over an in-state opponent in a non-conference game this season. The Ospreys also upped their record to 8-7 this season against in-state foes.

"This win is big for our program," said head coach Dusty Rhodes. "To come out here and play like we did put us on the map."

But through the haze and ash, perhaps the biggest story of the game was senior LHP Renzo Sheppard. Sheppard, a member of the U.S. National Guard, had the game of his life, striking out six Gators in-a-row and 8-of-10. Prior to the game, Sheppard's career high in innings pitched was 1.1. He finished the game with four innings pitched, didn't allow a hit and picked up his first career save.

"This game is definitely my best moment in college baseball," Sheppard said. "I didn't know I had struck out that many. I was just trying to throw strikes and get them out."

UNF chomped at the Gators from the get-go, putting across seven runs in the top of the first. The Ospreys were helped by the control problems of starting Florida RHP Clint Franklin, who walked three UNF batters in the inning. Senior Jon Dandridge got the first RBI of the game with a good eye, walking on four straight pitches that allowed sophomore Brian Wilson to score.

Glanville, who hails from Gainesville, stuck it to the hometown team in the next at-bat with a two-run double to the left field wall that drove in redshirt freshman Mycal Jones and Thompson. After Franklin walked Hale, the Gators brought in RHP Josh Edmonson in relief. But Knight saw to it that things didn't get better for the Gators with his RBI single that drove in Dandridge. A two-out, two-run double by Thompson later in the inning capped off the scoring for the Ospreys, who had 11 batters at the plate in the inning.

But UF (25-25) nipped away at the lead in the first and second innings, combining for three runs and knocking out UNF starter Ryan McCoy after just one inning pitched and three runs allowed on three hits and four walks.

The Gators added two more runs in the bottom of the third off senior LHP Andrew Stilley, who entered the game in the second inning in relief of McCoy, to cut the UNF lead to 7-5.

The Ospreys answered back with three runs in the top of the fourth to up their lead to 10-5. Glanville began the scoring with an RBI single that allowed Jones to score. Knight put an exclamation on the inning with his two-run single that allowed Dandridge and Glanville to score. Glanville was able to touch home after avoiding the tag by UF catcher Cody Neer on a rope throw from right fielder Jonathan Pigott.

After UF cut the Ospreys lead to 10-8 with three runs in the fifth and sixth inning, UNF fired back with five more runs in the top of the seventh to extend its lead to 15-8. Hale hammered his first career home run in the inning with a three-run blast over the left field wall that brought home Glanville and Jones. The Ospreys began the scoring with two runs on a hot shot by Glanville to third base that was ruled an error and allowed Wilson and Thompson to score.

Stilley (1-2) notched his first career win after tossing two innings and allowing two runs on five hits while fanning two batters. Jones ended up scoring a career-high three runs in the win while Thompson had six assists at second base.

UNF will try to build on its win this weekend in Atlantic Sun Conference action against Campbell. The series will kick off at 4 p.m. on Friday with a doubleheader in Buies Creek, N.C. Live stats and audio will be available on UNFOspreys.com.