UNF wraps up series win over Upstate

Saturday, March 22

Jacksonville, Fla.

1:00 PM

University of North Florida

10-10, 4-7

USC Upstate

10-11, 7-4

USC Upstate

North Florida

Sophomore Andrew Hannon notched seven RBIs on Saturday.

3/22/2008 7:07:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Sophomore Andrew Hannon puts up seven RBIs

By: Eric Scott, UNF Athletics

Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The University of North Florida baseball team came back in a big way on Saturday against USC Upstate with a doubleheader sweep at Harmon Stadium.

UNF (11-10, 5-7 Atlantic Sun Conference) came from behind in the first game to win 6-4. In the second game, the Ospreys scored early and often for a comfortable 11-4 victory. The victories helped UNF pick up the series win.

Sophomore Andrew Hannon led UNF at the plate with seven RBIs, which included a grand slam in game one that gave UNF the lead for good. Senior Travis Martin went 4-for-6 on the day with three RBIs and a double.

Game one was highlighted by a textbook pitching performance by junior RHP John Raiford, who went 8.1 innings and struck out three while allowing four runs on nine hits to improve his record to 2-0. Raiford's innings pitched mark was a career-high.

With the Ospreys trailing 3-1 in the bottom of the fifth, Hannon ripped a shot over the left field wall for his first career grand slam and second home run of the year. The blast gave the Ospreys a 6-3 lead.

In the top of the ninth, junior closer Tyler Stohr slammed the door shut on the Spartans when he came in to get the final two outs for his fourth save of the season.

Both senior Chad Knight and sophomore Preston Hale went 3-for-5 with a run scored.

The Ospreys didn't take any chances in game two and got on the scoreboard from the very beginning. Martin stroked a double down the left field line to drive in sophomore T.J. Thompson. Hannon drove in two more in the next at-bat with a single up the middle to give UNF a 3-0 lead.

In the bottom of the second, senior Andy Warren led off the inning with a double down the left field line and later scored on a wild pitch. Sophomore Michael Gropper tacked on another run for the Ospreys when he scored on an RBI groundout by Knight.

UNF extended its lead to 8-1 in the bottom of the third with a two-out rally. Warren slipped an RBI single up the middle to drive in Hannon. Gropper drove in two more with a triple down the right field line that allowed Warren and senior Mike P. Smith to score.

The Ospreys kept the sticks going in the bottom of the fourth when Martin drove in Knight with a sacrifice fly. Hale scored in the next at-bat when Hannon reached on a fielder's choice. Redshirt freshman Paul Morales wrapped up the scoring in the bottom of the eighth with an RBI single that drove in Thompson.

Sophomore LHP John Atteo (2-1) picked up the win after going five innings and allowing four runs. Junior RHP Phil Rorabaugh picked up his first career save after a solid four innings in relief in which he allowed just two hits and struck out one.

Gropper finished the game with a career-high three hits and two RBIs. Warren went 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored.

The Ospreys will return to action with a non-conference game at UCF at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Live audio and stats will be available on UNFOspreys.com.