UNF Out Duels JU at Baseball Grounds

Saturday, March 20

Baseball Grounds

1 p.m.

University of North Florida

11-8, 4-1

Jacksonville

10-10, 1-1

Jacksonville

North Florida

3/20/2010 5:23:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Game three is slated for Sunday at 12 p.m.

By: UNF Athletics

Boxscore

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – After opening a three-game series with a slugfest, the University of North Florida baseball team scored just two runs to claim a 2-0 victory over crosstown rival Jacksonville in a pitchers duel at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville.

The series is tied one game apiece with the rubber match to be played on Sunday. The game time of the final game of the series was moved up an hour and first pitch is now slated for 12 p.m.

“That's the best game we have had pitched all year,” head coach Dusty Rhodes stated after the game. “[Michael] Kelly has struggled over the past couple of years because he had Tommy John surgery, but he has to be able to pitch like that and we have to be able to play defense behind him. We have been able to swing the bat all year long, but their guy really pitched well today. You are going to have these days in baseball where both pitchers throw really great games. When that happens, you have to play defense. You have to move runners. That was big hit that Michael Smith to put that extra run up there.”

Senior pitcher Michael Kelly tossed a complete game shutout for his second win of the season. The hurler scattered seven hits over 9.0 innings of work. He did not allow a run as he recorded the Ospreys' first shutout of the season. Kelly fanned seven batters in the game and worked out of several jams. The senior walked three batters, but relied on solid defense to preserve the shutout.

Kelly's performance on the mound topped the efforts of JU's pitcher Kyle Kriech. The starting pitcher for the Dolphins worked 7.2 innings in his first outing of the season, allowing two runs on five hits in a losing effort. He walked three and struck out four.

Offensively, North Florida collected just five hits, breaking a streak of 18 consecutive games with eight or more hits. Junior Michael Smith had the biggest hit of the afternoon as he belted his second home run of the season and gave the Ospreys an insurance run late in the game. Sophomore Andrew Karmeris tallied two hits s he recorded a pair of doubles. His run in the second inning proved to be the game-winner as Kelly kept JU off of the scoreboard.

After a 1-2-3 inning in the first, Jacksonville used a leadoff walk to record its first base runner of the ballgame. A “strike-'em-out-throw-'em-out” double play eliminated the base runner and left the bases empty with two outs. Following a walk, a second strikeout of the inning closed the door on JU in the second.

North Florida was the first team to score as the Ospreys plated a run in the bottom of the second inning. Karmeris led off the inning with a double down the left field line. Karmeris moved to within 90 feet of home with a ground out. The sophomore came in to score as David Eldredge hit a ground ball to first base. The first baseman threw home to try to retire Karmeris, but he slid safely under the catcher's tag to give UNF a 1-0 lead.

In the third inning, the Osprey defense once again shined. After ground out, the Dolphins got base runner thanks to a single to left field. Kelly made a quick moved to first to pick off the runner. A fly ball ended the inning with the score still 1-0.

JU led off the fourth inning with a base hit, but a snap throw by catcher Kyle Dahl once again picked off another Jacksonville base runner.

Jacksonville once again threatened in the top of the fifth inning, but once again, stellar defense by North Florida helped Kelly out of a jam. After a strikeout to start off the inning, back-to-back singles gave JU a pair of base runners. A ground ball to third base started the 5-4-3 double play and end the inning.

The biggest threat for the Dolphins came in the top of the sixth inning. JU led off the inning with a double and a single gave the designated visitors runners on the corners. An error by UNF loaded the bases with no outs. A ground ball to third base saw T.J. Thompson going home with the throw to eliminate the lead runner. The next batter hit a ground ball to second base and second baseman Steve Hillan pitched it to shortstop Sam Perry who successfully threw to first to complete the inning-ending double play without allowing a run.

Leading 1-0, the Ospreys added an insurance run in the eighth inning. Smith homered to left field for his second home run of the season to give UNF a 2-0 advantage.

Kelly came out for the final inning and after an error allowed a base runner, the senior used a strikeout and a pair of fly balls to end the game and complete the shutout.

North Florida completes the three-game series against Jacksonville with a single game on Sunday, March 21, at Dusty Rhodes Field at Harmon Stadium. First pitch for the series finale is slated for 12 p.m.