Box Score Boxscore
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The University of North Florida baseball team fell to crosstown rival Jacksonville, 13-10, at Dusty Rhodes Field at Harmon Stadium on Friday night. The Ospreys led by two late in the game, but a five-run eighth inning by the Dolphins led to the JU victory.
Offensively, North Florida recorded 10 runs on 12 hits, including six extra base hits. Four different UNF players collected multiple hits on the night. Senior Preston Hale and sophomore Steve Hillan each had three hits on the night, while senior Justin Preckajlo and junior Michael Smith each had two hits. Preckajlo had a double and a home run, driving in a team-high three runs. Senior T.J. Thompson hit his team-leading sixth home run of the season in the game. Hale, Smith and sophomore Andrew Karmeris each added doubles in the game.
On the mound, junior George Lott got the start. He scattered eight hits in 5.1 innings of work. Lott was charged with seven runs. He walked four and struck out a career-best seven batters.
Freshman Clayton Schulz worked 1.2 innings of relief. He surrendered a pair of runs with one earned run on five hits. Schulz did not walk a batter and struck out three.
Freshman Tommy Organ took the loss, giving up two runs on two hits.
Karmeris and senior Kris Linster combined to toss the final two innings. Karmeris recorded a strikeout in 0.2 of an inning, while Linster fanned a batter in 1.1 scoreless innings.
Jacksonville took the first lead of the game in the top of the first inning. The Dolphins started the game with a single up the middle. A balk moved the runner up to second base, but it would not matter as a one-out walk gave JU runners on first and second. A second balk of the inning moved both runners into scoring position. A fly ball recorded the second out of the inning, but a perfect throw by Preckajlo kept the runners from scoring. The next batter broke the scoreless tie with a two RBI single through the left side of the infield. A fly ball retired the Dolphins in the first inning, but the Ospreys found themselves on the wrong side of a 2-0 score.
North Florida took the lead in the bottom of the first inning. With two outs, Hale became the first base runner of the night for the Ospreys as the senior was hit by a pitch. Hale came around to score on an RBI double to right center field by Karmeris. Preckajlo followed with his fifth home run of the season to give UNF a 3-2 lead after one inning of play.
The Dolphins tied the game in the top of the third inning. The first batter of the inning, Jamaal Hawkins lifted a 1-1 pitch over the left field fence for his third home run of the season. Lott retired the next three batters in order to keep the score tied at 3-3.
The Ospreys regained the lead in the bottom of the third inning. Smith led off the inning with a single to second base and advanced a base on a throwing error by JU. A balk moved Smith to third base and a single by Hale scored Smith easily to give UNF a 4-3 edge.
JU responded with three runs in the top of the fourth inning to retake the lead. The Dolphins used a one-out double and a walk to place two runners on base. A double down the left field line scored the first run of the inning. Two more runs came around to score on a single to left center field.
In the bottom of the fifth, UNF reclaimed the lead with four runs on three hits. Smith doubled to right field and came around to score on a Hale single to left field. Karmeris was hit by a pitch to give the Ospreys a pair of base runners. The runners advanced on a balk, and a sacrifice fly by Preckajlo to left field scored Hale from third. With a runner on second, Thompson hit a home run to right field to give UNF an 8-6 lead.
Jacksonville plated a runner in the top of the sixth inning. With two outs and the bases loaded, JU used a high chopper that bounced over the UNF pitcher's head scored the lead runner. Schulz slammed the door shut with strikeout to limit the damage.
North Florida answered with a run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Hillan singled up the middle with one out and advanced to second base on a fielding error by JU. A hit batter loaded the bases and an RBI groundout by Hale gave UNF a 9-7 advantage.
The Dolphins manufactured a run in the top of the seventh inning. A single and an error gave JU a pair of base runners. A sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position. The next batter hit a ground ball to first base, but Karmeris alertly went home with the ball to eliminate the lead runner. A single loaded the bases and a hit batter scored the lead base runner and cut the UNF lead to just one, 9-8.
Once again, the Ospreys answered with a run in the bottom of the seventh inning. Preckajlo led off the inning with a double to left field and Sam Perry entered the game to pinch run. A wild pitch advanced Perry to third base and a sacrifice fly by Robbie Collier scored Perry from third.
JU took the lead with a five run eighth inning. A two-run home run tied the score at 10-10 and a second home run in the inning gave the Dolphins a one-run lead. A single, followed by back-to-back doubles scored two more runs and gave Jacksonville a 13-10 advantage that UNF could not overcome.
North Florida and Jacksonville continue the SunTrust River City Rumble with a single game on Saturday, March 20, at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville. The game is slated to start at 1 p.m.
