Box Score Boxscore
MOBILE, Ala. – The University of North Florida baseball team played a solid game against tournament-host South Alabama Jaguars on Saturday afternoon, but a three-run eighth inning by the Jaguars lifted the host team to a 4-2 victory over UNF.
“We have to be able to go out there and improve,” head coach Dusty Rhodes stated after the game. “We didn't do that yesterday, but we did it today. [George] Lott went out there and did a great job. We just couldn't hold them off at the end. We did a good job all the way around. I thought we swung the bats pretty well. We are getting better. We just have to see what happens.”
The loss overshadowed a stellar pitching performance by junior starter George Lott. The Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. native worked 7.0 innings, scattering six hits. Lott surrendered just one run, walking one and striking out a career-best five batters. The junior kept the Jaguars off of the scoreboard for the first four innings of the game and the final two innings he pitched. Lott faced just six batters over the minimum with three 1-2-3 innings in the game. Lott threw 91 total pitches in the game which was the most since high school.
Offensively, UNF scored two runs on 11 hits. Junior Robbie Collier, senior Kyle Dahl, junior Andrew Hannon and sophomore Andrew Karmeris each collected a pair of hits in the game with Collier and Hannon each registering a double. Senior David Eldredge also added a double on the afternoon. Collier and Hannon each scored a run on the day and seniors Preston Hale and T.J. Thompson each drove in a run.
The Ospreys wasted little time, scoring a run in the top of the first inning. Hannon led off the game with a double to left center field. The runner moved to third on a ground out to second base. A second ground out plated Hannon from third and gave UNF an early 1-0 lead.
South Alabama knotted the score at 1-1 in the bottom of the fifth inning. The leadoff batter singled to the shortstop on a bad hop off of the grass. After an out the runner advanced to second after a walk. A deep fly ball out advanced the lead runner to third base. The next batter singled to left field to plate the runner and tie the score at 1-1.
In the top of the sixth inning, the Ospreys regained the lead. Collier started the inning with a double just over the head of the left fielder. Karmeris delivered a one out single to give UNF runners on the corners. With two on and two outs, Thompson stepped to the plate and collected a clutch RBI single to left field to give North Florida a 2-1 lead.
South Alabama threatened in the bottom of the sixth, but the Ospreys got out of the inning unchanged. After recording a ground-ball out, Lott surrendered a single up the middle. The base runner advanced to scoring position on a ground ball to first. Lott eliminated the threat by striking out the last batter of the inning.
UNF went to the bullpen to start the eighth inning and brought in junior college transfer Casey Medlen. South Alabama started the inning with an infield single and the runner advanced to second on a failed pick off. A sacrifice bunt advanced the runner to third base. A single through the left side of the infield tied the score at 2-2. The next batter doubled to give USA runners on second and third. A single up the middle scored the two runners and saw the Ospreys behind 4-2.
North Florida concludes play in the South Alabama Classic with a game against Eastern Michigan. The Ospreys and Eagles take the field at Noon (ET) at Spring Hill College in Mobile, Ala.
