University of North Florida
Mercer
UNF returns for three against Bears
4/24/2009 4:54:04 PM | Baseball
Mercer visits Harmon Stadium beginning Saturday
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The University of North Florida baseball team finally returns to action this weekend after resting for a week for final exams.
The Ospreys will try to move up in the conference standings when it hosts Mercer for a three-game Atlantic Sun Conference series at Harmon Stadium. The series will begin at 1 p.m. on Saturday with a doubleheader and will wrap up at 1 p.m. on Sunday with a single game.
In UNF's last outing on April 15, the Ospreys lost 8- 7 on a walk-off bloop single to then-No. 20 Florida State in Tallahassee, Fla. The Ospreys allowed three unearned runs and committed four errors. Junior TJ Thompson went 3-for-4 with three runs scored.
The Ospreys have won three of their last four conference series, including two in a row at home. But they dropped two of three games in their last A-Sun series to Lipscomb, losing both games of a doubleheader on April 11 after taking the first game of the series. UNF stands in sixth place in the A-Sun.
Mercer was swept by A-Sun first-place team Kennesaw State last weekend at home in Macon, Ga. The Bears notched two wins during the week in non- conference action against Florida A&M and Savannah State. Steven Karwatt leads the Bears with 32 RBI and nine home runs to go along with a .330 batting average.
What: Baseball vs. Mercer
When: Saturday, 1 p.m. (DH); Sunday, 1 p.m.
Where: Harmon Stadium (Jacksonville, Fla.)
Radio: WBOB-AM 1320 in Jacksonville
Live Stats: Click here
Live Video (Sunday): Click here
UNF's Record: 15-23, 9-9 Atlantic Sun Conference
Mercer's Record: 17-18, 7-11 Atlantic Sun Conference
Series History: UNF leads, 5-4
Last Series Result: UNF won, 2-1, in Macon, Ga. - Mercer 7, UNF 6 (April 12, 2008); UNF 4, Mercer 3 (April 12, 2008); UNF 8, Mercer 7 (April 13, 2008)
Who's Hot: Senior RHP John Frawley is a perfect 4-0 in conference play and has tossed four-straight complete game wins. He has two shutouts this season - which ties the UNF record for most in a season - and is fourth in the A-Sun with a 3.02 ERA. His 5-1 overall record is tied for the best win-loss ratio. Frawley was also named the UNF Athlete of the Year at the school's student-athlete awards banquet last Friday.
Notables: Four Ospreys rank in the top 30 of batting averages in the A-Sun, led by senior Brian Wilson, who ranks 19th with a .349 average ... UNF is 4-5 in conference home games ... the Ospreys are most vulnerable in the sixth inning against A-Sun opponents, being outscored 22-4 ... overall, UNF has outscored A-Sun foes 117-105 ... Kevin Martin has a team-leading 25 RBIs in conference games ... Frawley notched a win in relief last season in UNF's series clinching 8-7 win ... he finished out the last 1.1 innings and didn't allow a hit ... junior Preston Hale is hitting .391 for his career against Mercer ... four of UNF's games against Mercer have been decided by one run ... the Ospreys are 3-5 in one-run games this season ... junior RHP Tucker Pryor is expected to make his first weekend start of the season ... Pryor has started twice this season against Florida State, but both ended in no-decisions ... Pryor made his only weekend start against Mercer last year and was credited with the loss.
