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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The University of North Florida baseball team fell to 0-2 on the season with a 16-11 loss to Richmond at the North Florida Classic at Harmon Stadium. After falling behind 11-1, the Ospreys battled back to pull to within three (11-8), but could not overcome the Spiders.
Offensively, North Florida collected 10 hits on the day, led by David Eldredge. The senior finished the game 4-for-5 with two runs scored, two RBI and a double. Junior Sam Perry collected two hits and three RBI on the day. Andrew Karmeris led all Ospreys with three runs scored.
UNF's pitching staff walked 10 batters on the day and hit two more batters. The 12 free bases combined with five errors led to a couple of big innings by Richmond.
“If you don't pitch, you don't win,” head coach Dusty Rhodes commented after the game. “You should never been in that situation. You can't give up seven runs in the first inning in Division I baseball and expect to win. We came back and some guys swung the bat pretty well, but we didn't play good defense.”
The Ospreys were hurt by a seven-run first inning by the Spiders. Richmond scored seven runs on four hits, an error, two hit batters and a pair of walks.
Trailing 7-0, North Florida scored a run in the first inning to trim the to 7-1. Senior Preston Hale reached on a fielding error by the Spiders for the first base runner of the game for UNF. Karmeris followed with a single, moving Hale into scoring position. Eldredge collected his first hit of the afternoon, scoring Hale from second.
Richmond extended its lead to 11-1 over the next two innings with a pair of runs in the second and third innings.
UNF rallied in the fourth and fifth innings for seven total runs to cut the Spiders' lead to just 11-8.
Karmeris reached base on an error by the visitors to leadoff the fourth inning. Eldredge and Robbi Collier each sinlged to load the bases. Kyle Dahl drew an RBI walk and Andrew Hannon followed with a sacrifice fly. A wild pitch plated the third run of the inning. An RBI single by Perry closed the gap to 11-5.
In the fifth inning, the Ospreys led off the inning with a base hit by Hale. With Hale on second base and one out, a groundout moved the runner to within 90 feet of home. Collier walked and Dahl was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Hannon singled to score Hale from third. Perry reached on a fielding error that scored Collier and Dahl cutting the Spiders' lead to just three.
Neither team scored in the sixth inning but Richmond scored four runs in the top of the seventh to extend its lead back to seven.
The Ospreys countered with two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Karmeris was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Eldredge followed with a single up the middle. A ground out moved the runners. A hit batter loaded the bases and a two-out single to left field scored two runners to make the score 15-10.
Richmond scored a run in the top of the eighth inning, but UNF matched the run with a run in the bottom of the inning. Karmeris reached base on a fielding error with two outs. Eldredged doubled to left center field to score Karmeris and cut the lead to 16-11.
Neither team managed to score in the ninth inning as the Spiders claimed the five run victory.
UNF returns to action on Sunday, Feb. 21, as they conclude play in the North Florida Classic with a game against Florida A&M. First pitch is slated for 3:00 p.m. at Harmon Stadium. Prior to the Ospreys game, No. 14 Ohio State will face Richmond at 11 a.m.
