Box Score

FORT MYERS, Fla. – After having a series win within inches from it on Saturday, the University of North Florida baseball team was a world away from Florida Gulf Coast on Sunday in an 8-0 loss.

The Ospreys (3-3, 1-2 Atlantic Sun Conference) struggled at the plate against FGCU's Richie Erath, putting up only two hits against the freshman and striking out five times. Erath combined with Chris Sale for the shutout. It was just the third time UNF had been shut out as a member of the A-Sun.

UNF didn't put a hit on the scoreboard until the top of the seventh when senior Mike P. Smith sliced a single into right field. However, Smith quickly found himself off the basepaths when he was thrown out trying to steal second base.

Sophomore T.J. Thompson tallied UNF's other hit in the top of the eighth when he bounced a one-out single through the right side of the infield. But the momentum was quickly stopped when freshmen Sam Perry and Michael R. Smith struck out to end the inning. 

The Ospreys struck out seven times as a team and flew out 11 times while leaving six runners on base. Sophomore RHP Jonathan Turner (0-1) picked up the loss after allowing five runs on six hits in 2.1 innings while striking out three.

Sophomore RHP Tucker Pryor threw 5.2 innings of relief for UNF, allowing three runs on 10 hits while striking out two.

UNF will return to action at 7 p.m. on Tuesday when it takes on Presbyterian for a two-game series at Harmon Stadium. The series will conclude with a 1 p.m. start on Wednesday. Live stats will be available on UNFOspreys.com.