Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
NASHVILLE - The University of North Florida baseball team ended a disappointing series in the Music City with a doubleheader sweep to Belmont on Sunday at Greer Stadium.
The Ospreys were forced to wait another day to play the games after a flooded outfield prompted ballpark officials to postpone Saturday's doubleheader.
But the extra day didn't help UNF (8-8, 3-6 Atlantic Sun Conference), which fell by scores of 12-2 and 7-6 to bring its losing streak to four games. The Ospreys' fielding woes continued to haunt them, committing four errors.
Senior Chad Knight finished the day with three hits, including a double and two runs scored. Sophomore Preston Hale also scored twice. Sophomore Andrew Hannon tallied three RBIs.
After dropping the first game in seven innings, UNF (8-8, 3-6 Atlantic Sun Conference) jumped out in front early in game two with three runs in the top of the third. Senior Travis Martin got it rolling with a two-run double to center that brought sophomore Michael Gropper and Knight in to score. Hannon's RBI groundout allowed Hale to score.
The Ospreys added another run in the sixth to extend their lead to 4-2 on a two-out RBI single by senior T.J. Gaudy. But Belmont (7-9, 3-6) found a way to answer in the bottom of the seventh, scoring two runs to tie the game at four.
UNF shot the bear between the eyes in the top of the ninth after a scoreless eighth. After the Ospreys were able to load the bases, Hannon came through with a clutch two-run single that allowed Hale and Knight to score. But the Ospreys tossed away a prime opportunity to pad its lead and ended the inning with the bases loaded.
After junior Phil Rorabaugh walked the first two batters in the top of the ninth, junior Tyler Stohr came in to close the game. He got off to a solid start, striking out Belmont's Daniel Wagner in three pitches. But in the next at-bat, the Bruins' Derek Hamblen was able to get an RBI base-knock up the middle off Stohr that cut UNF's lead to 6-5.
Stohr intentionally walked the next batter, Carlo Testa, who was 5-for-11 for the series. Belmont's Derek Wiley was seemingly down and out against Stohr in the next at-bat, falling behind in the count 0-2. But a curve ball from Stohr stayed too high and tight to wind up hitting Wiley to bring home a run and tie the game at six.
Belmont's Brandon McCall sealed UNF's agonizing fate in the next at-bat, hitting an RBI single up the middle to allow Hamblen to score and wrap up the win.
Junior Spencer Jones' solid outing was spoiled with a no-decision. He went 6.2 innings and allowed two earned runs on seven hits while striking out four. Rorabaugh didn't allow a hit in 1.1 innings of relief.
The first game went completely the opposite of what the Ospreys might have wanted. UNF totaled just five hits and committed two errors, while Osprey pitchers allowed 15 hits.
Sophomore starting LHP John Atteo (1-1) lasted just one inning after allowing four runs on six hits. Sophomore RHP Tucker Pryor allowed five earned runs on nine hits in 5.0 innings of relief while striking out three.
UNF didn't get on the board until the top of the fifth when Thompson hit a two run single that allowed senior Andy Warren and sophomore Michael Gropper to score. Warren led off the inning with a single, which was followed by Gropper's double down the left field line.
Warren finished the day 2-for-4 with a run scored. Belmont doubled up the Ospreys on hits for the day, 24-12. The Bruins were 4-for-5 on stolen base attempts.
The Ospreys will return to action at 4 p.m. on Monday against Florida International at Harmon Stadium. The game will be aired live on ASUN.TV. Live stats will be available on UNFOspreys.com.
