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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The University of North Florida baseball team had its three-game winning streak snapped on Wednesday as the Ospreys (6-7) fell, 6-2, to No. 2 Florida State (12-0) at Mike Martin Field at Dick Howser Stadium.
Offensively, the Ospreys collected eight hits on the night. The eight hits snapped a nine-game consecutive streak of double digit hits for UNF. On the season, North Florida has recorded eight or more hits in 12 of its 13 games.
Leading the way for UNF was the senior tandem of Preston Hale and Justin Preckajlo. Hale extended his hot play with a home run and a double. He scored a run and drove in a pair. Preckajlo finished the game 2-for-3.
Starting pitcher Robbie Collier took the loss for the Ospreys. The junior worked 4.2 innings, scattering four hits. He was charged with four runs, with three being earned. Collier walked four batters and tied a career-high with five strikeouts. He retired six of the first seven batters he faced and did not allow an earned run through the first four innings of play.
After a shaky start, the UNF bullpen held Florida State to just a pair of runs. Over the final 3.1 innings, Tommy Organ scattered two hits, allowing one run with a strikeout. He retired eight of the final nine batters he faced.
The Ospreys threatened in the first inning. T.J. Gavlik led off the game with a single up the middle, before moving to second on a sacrifice bunt by T.J. Thompson. A walk to Preston Hale gave UNF a pair of base runners and a ground out advanced the runners into scoring position. Justin Preckajlo kept the inning alive with a two-out walk to load the bases, but a ground out to first base ended the inning without a run.
UNF sat the Seminoles down in order in the first inning. Collier started the game with a pair of strikeouts, including fanning First Team All-American Stephen Cardullo.
Hale broke the scoreless tie in the top of the third inning. The senior drove the first pitch he saw over the left center field fence for his second home run of the season. The home run was the second home run allowed by a FSU pitcher on the season and gave UNF a 1-0 lead after two and a half innings.
Florida State tied the score in the bottom of the third inning. A two-base fielding error by the Ospreys gave the Noles a runner in scoring position with no outs. A double off of the right center field wall knotted the score at 1-1 with no outs. Collier struck out the next batter and induced back-to-back ground outs to escape further trouble.
The Seminoles threatened to take the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. A four-pitch walk started the inning and a single gave the hosts a pair of base runners. A sacrifice bunt advanced the runners, but a second walk in the inning loaded the bases with just one out. A shallow fly ball to center field recorded the second out of the inning without allowing a run and a ground out to the pitcher ended the inning and the threat.
FSU took the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. A one-out walk gave Florida State a base runner and a wild pitch moved him into scoring position. The runner advanced to third on a ground for the second out of the inning. The next batter worked the count full before sending it over the left field fence for a two-run home run and a 3-1 lead. The Seminoles extended the inning with a single. After going to the bullpen, the Ospreys surrendered a walk, an RBI base hit and a hit batter, leaving the bases loaded with two outs. Another pitching change for UNF did not help as the bullpen walked in a run. A foul out to first base ended the inning, but not before the Seminoles plated four runs to take a 5-1 lead after five innings of play.
The Seminoles increased their lead to 6-1 with an RBI double in the bottom of the sixth inning.
UNF chipped away at the FSU lead with a run in the top of the eighth inning. With one out, Thompson singled and advanced to second on a throwing error by the Noles. Hale doubled to left center to score Thompson and cut the deficit to 6-2.
The Ospreys would get no closer, stranding a runner in the ninth inning.
North Florida returns to action on Thursday, March 11, as the Ospreys continue play in the 2010 Kennel Club Classic. UNF will take on James Madison in a game at Dusty Rhodes Field at Harmon Stadium at 1 p.m.
