Box Score

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Junior Justin Preckajlo knocked out a game-high four hits - including a double and home run - but it wasn't enough to get past East Tennessee State as the University of North Florida baseball team lost 12-8 on Sunday at Harmon Stadium.

UNF (14-18, 8-7 Atlantic Sun Conference) tallied five extra-base hits, giving the Ospreys 16 for the weekend. ETSU was able to capitalize on a weekend- high 15 hits and knocked UNF left-handed starter John Atteo out of the game after just 2.0 innings.

Junior right-handed reliever Kristopher Linster stood out for the Ospreys, tossing 3.0 innings and allowing one unearned run on two hits for his best outing of the season. Sophomore Robbie Collier had a perfect day at the plate, going 2-for-2 with a double and two runs scored after entering the game in the top of the sixth.

ETSU (14-14, 6-9) gave the Ospreys a tough from the very beginning with four runs in the top of the first inning. The Buccaneers' Paul Hoilman accounted for the majority of the damage with a three-run home run to left center.

Junior Kevin Martin put the Ospreys on the board in the bottom of the second with his ninth RBI of the series when he stroked a single through the right side to bring Preckajlo in to score.

Following a rough top of the third where ETSU notched five runs to take a 9-1 lead, UNF responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning. Preckajlo knocked a single to center field that allowed sophomore Michael Smith and senior Brian Wilson to cross the plate.

Preckajlo went all the way to third on the play when ETSU center fielder Jacob Fabry misjudged the ball. Junior TJ Thompson made the Buccaneers pay for the error on the play when his RBI groundout allowed Preckajlo to score and cut the ETSU lead to 9- 4.

The Buccaneers added another two runs in the fourth, but it didn't stop UNF from chipping away at the lead. The Ospreys loaded the bases to start the bottom of the seventh, and Thompson seized the opportunity when he drew a walk with a full count to bring in a run.

Martin grounded into a double play in the next at bat, but it helped Collier to cross the plate and pull UNF to within 11-5. Thompson notched another RBI in the bottom of the eighth when he blasted a double to right center, allowing Collier to score. But ETSU's Dustin Caldwell struck out the final two Osprey batters to end the game and complete his three-inning save.

With their 14 hits, the Ospreys have now notched double-digit hits in the last seven games. The loss snapped UNF's Division I program-best seven-game conference winning streak.

UNF will return to action at 7 p.m. on Tuesday when it faces Central Florida at Harmon Stadium. The game will be shown live on ASun.TV.