One swing takes away UNF's lead

Saturday, February 21

Starkville, Miss.

1 p.m.

University of North Florida

1-1

Mississippi State

2-0

North Florida

Mississippi State

Senior Brian Wilson went 4-for-4 on Saturday.

2/21/2009 5:38:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Brian Wilson goes 4-for-4

By: Eric Scott, UNF Athletics

Box Score

STARKVILLE, Miss. - The University of North Florida baseball team was in control for most of its game against Mississippi State on Saturday at the FirstBank Baseball Challenge, but with one swing of the bat, everything changed.

After starting RHP Phil Rorabaugh (0-1) pitched 5.2 quality innings and helped UNF hold a 1-0 lead, MSU's Sam Sneed hit a three-run home run to left center to put the Bulldogs up 3-1. MSU later added four runs and won the game 7-1.

The Ospreys (1-1) took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second when sophomore Sam Perry hit a sacrifice fly to left that drove in junior Ryan Puskar, who led off the inning with a single. After that, both pitchers shut the opposing hitters down.

Senior Brian Wilson was the only UNF hitter to have more than one hit. Wilson finished with a career-high four hits.

UNF also had trouble producing with runners in scoring position, going 2-for-14. The Ospreys left six on base. The loss snapped UNF's two-game winning streak against the Bulldogs.

Rorabaugh was charged with the loss after tossing 5.2 innings and allowing three runs on seven hits while striking out four.

UNF will wrap up the tournament with two games on Sunday. The Ospreys will take on Northern Illinois, who they beat 6-3 on Friday, at noon eastern time then take on Mississippi State at 3:30 p.m. Links to live stats and live video will be available on UNFOspreys.com.