Box Score
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – After waiting over three and a half hours to take the field, the University of North Florida baseball team earned a 4-3 victory over crosstown rival Jacksonville at Dusty Rhodes Field at Harmon Stadium on Sunday afternoon. The Ospreys won the series 2-1 earning a pair of points in the SunTrust River City Rumble held between the two teams.
“All those games were close games,” head coach Dusty Rhodes stated after the game. “We got beat in that first game, but that was because of one big inning. Both teams are similar, but we got through it. It was big because they are a good team and they are going to battle within the conference. They are going to be in the conference tournament and we re going to see them down the line. For us to beat them, especially this year at home, that was big. It was a good win all the way around for us.”
On the mound, starter Robbie Collier earned a no decision. The junior tossed 5.0 innings, scattering four hits. He was charged with three runs, walking six batters and fanning four.
Collier was relieved by junior college transfer Casey Medlen. The junior worked the final four innings of the game, surrendering just a pair of base hits. Medlen did not allow a run, walking two and striking out five en route to his first victory in a UNF uniform. The junior worked out of a jam in the sixth inning leaving a runner stranded on third with back-to-back strikeouts to close out the inning. Medlen also struck out three of the four batters he faced in the ninth inning to secure the one-run victory.
Offensively, the Ospreys collected 11 hits on the afternoon, including a pair of solo home runs. Senior Preston Hale and junior Andrew Hannon each recorded solo home runs for the Ospreys. Hannon's home run gave UNF the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning and Hale's home run in the seventh put the Ospreys out in front for good.
The offensive attack was balanced for UNF with five different players recording multiple hits in the game. In addition to his home run, Hannon added a double, while Sam Perry finished the game with a double and an RBI.
North Florida was the first team to plate a run, scoring in the first inning. Hannon led off the game with a double just inside the left field foul line. Michael Smith hit a ground ball that bounced over the third baseman's head and rolled into left field. The base hit by Smith was good enough to score Hannon from second and give UNF a quick 1-0 lead.
Jacksonville responded with a pair of runs in the top of the third inning. After a pair of walks, JU used a two-out double off of the left field wall to score two runs and take a 2-1 lead. The two runs broke a streak of 12 consecutive innings by the Ospreys without allowing a run.
UNF tied the score in the bottom of the fourth inning. T.J. Thompson led off the inning with a single and moved to second on a Steve Hillan walk. Sam Perry brought home Thompson with an RBI double down the left field line.
The Ospreys regained the lead with a solo home run by Andrew Hannon in the fifth inning. The homer was Hannon's third of the season and gave UNF a 3-2 edge.
The Dolphins tied the score at 3-3 with a single run in the top of the sixth. After a leadoff walk, JU laid down a bunt down the first base line for a single. On the play, an errant throw allowed the lead runner to advance to third, giving Jacksonville runners on the corners. A wild pitch scored the runner from third and knotted the score at three apiece.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Hale continued his hot play in the month of March. The outfielder recorded his fourth home run of the season to give UNF a 4-3 lead that they would not relinquish.
North Florida returns to action with a pair of midweek nonconference road games. The Ospreys travel to Tampa, Fla., to take on USF on Tuesday, March 23, at 7 p.m., before heading to Daytona, Fla., for a game against Bethune-Cookman on Wednesday, March 24, at 6 p.m.
