UNF Baseball Set for Opening Weekend

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The University of North Florida baseball team begins the final season in the Dusty Rhodes Era at the North Florida Classic this weekend at Harmon Stadium. The Ospreys are set for three games in the tournament with the season opener on Friday, Feb. 19, against Ohio State at 7 p.m. UNF continues the weekend on Saturday, Feb. 20, versus Richmond at 1 p.m. The Ospreys close out the opening weekend with a 3 p.m. game against in-state rival Florida A&M on Sunday, Feb. 21.

The 2010 season will see the end of an era as ABCA Hall of Fame Coach Dusty Rhodes will be at the helm of the UNF baseball team for his final season, having announced his retirement back in August. The 2010 season marks the first year that the Ospreys are eligible for postseason play as full Division I members, having finished the four-year reclassification period.

“This is going to be it for our seniors who have gone through the transition period,” said Rhodes. “It will be their last chance to play and their first chance to go to postseason play. They have the opportunity to do something that no one has ever done here at the Division I level to go to a conference tournament. They have a lot to look forward to. We have some experienced guys that are coming back from injury that are really going to help this team. I am looking forward to this year because I feel these guys deserve the opportunity to see what they can do and we will see what happens.”

The Ospreys finished the 2009 season 23-31 overall with a 15-15 mark in the Atlantic Sun Conference. The Ospreys are led offensively by All-ASun outfielder Preston Hale, who led UNF in nearly every offensive category in 2009. On the mound, senior Michael Kelly is listed as the ace. A year removed from Tommy John surgery, Kelly will lead the UNF pitching staff that is comprised of a solid mix of veterans and newcomers.

The Ospreys start the season against Ohio State. The Buckeyes made an appearance in the 2009 NCAA Regionals and finished last season ranked No. 25 according to Collegiate Baseball. OSU garnered Top 25 recognition in almost every preseason poll with a ranking as high as No. 14 (Collegiate Baseball). Other polls have the Buckeyes ranked 21st (USA Today/ESPN), 22nd (Rivals.com), 23rd (National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association) and 24th (PING! Baseball).

“We have never backed down from teams ever since I have been here,” Rhodes commented. “The last four years we have taken it on ourselves to play the toughest schedule we could find. We open up with Ohio State. They are going to be a team to be reckoned with in the Big Ten. We are not backing away from anybody.”

Coming off its 22-25 campaign, Richmond was picked to finish fifth in 2010 by the Atlantic 10 coaches. Although missing the postseason the last two seasons, the Spinders are among the A-10's most successful programs -- reaching the NCAA Regionals eight times (including the 2002 Super Regional) and winning five conference titles (one since joining the A-10 in 2002). Richmond returns all but one position player, one starting pitcher and its closer from the 2009 squad that was among the youngest in the country. The Spiders regularly started six (sometimes seven) freshmen or sophomores in the field and two other first- or second-year pitchers off the team's underclassmen-dominated roster.

Florida A&M enters the weekend after finishing the 2009 campaign 24-30 overall. The Ospreys are 6-0 all-time against the Rattlers, including a 4-0 mark against FAMU in Harmon Stadium. The last time the two teams met on the diamond, the Ospreys came away with a 9-5 victory on March 4, 2007, in the Kennel Club Classic. Senior outfielder Darryl Evans led the Rattlers with five long balls and 10 doubles last season and posted a .317 batting average.

Tickets for single games are available through the ticket box office located at the entrance to Harmon Stadium. Ticket prices are $7 per adult, and $5 for senior citizens (55 and older) and youth (17 and under). Children two and under and current UNF students with a valid Osprey1 Card are admitted free of charge. Student guest tickets are $5 and limited to one per student. For more information or to purchase basketball season tickets call 904-620-BIRD (2473) or email ospreytickets@unf.edu.

For a complete tournament schedule, click here.

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