Box Score Boxscore
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The University of North Florida baseball team improved to 3-1 in Atlantic Sun Conference play with a 7-5 victory over Campbell on Friday night at Dusty Rhodes Field at Harmon Stadium.
The Ospreys collected 11 hits on the night including three hit performances by junior Michael Smith and sophomore Andrew Karmeris. Smith finished a triple shy of the cycle, hitting his third home run of the year and his eighth double of the season to go along with a single. Smith drove in a game-high three runs while tying Karmeris for a team-best two RBI. Karmeris finished the game with two doubles on the night, the second time this season he has recorded multiple doubles in a game.
On the mound, junior George Lott earned his third win of the season, while freshman Tommy Organ collected his team-best third save of the year. Lott scattered eight hits in 6.0 innings of work. He surrendered four runs, allowing two walks and striking out five. Organ worked the final inning of the game, surrendering a run on three hits with one strikeout. Casey Medlen worked 2.0 scoreless innings of relief, fanning two batters.
The Ospreys jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Andrew Hannon led off the inning by getting hit by a pitch. He moved to second as Michael Smith singled off of the pitcher's glove. Preston Hale loaded the bases with a single to left center field. Andrew Karmeris put the Ospreys on the scoreboard with an RBI single through the left side. T.J. Thompson recorded a sacrifice fly to right field. David Eldredge loaded the bases with a walk and Robbie Collier scored the lead runner with a sacrifice fly to left field.
Campbell cut the lead to just two with a pair of runs in the top of the second inning. The Camels used four hits to score two runs and cut the deficit to 4-2.
North Florida responded with a run in the bottom of the second inning. Smith doubled with one out and Hale was intentionally walked. Karmeris followed with an RBI double to score Smith and increase the UNF advantage to 5-2.
The Camels scored a pair of runs in the top of the sixth inning to cut the UNF lead to 5-4, but the Ospreys responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning to make the score 7-4. Hannon singled down the right field line and Smith drove in himself and Hannon with a two-run homer to right field.
Campbell made a final push in the ninth inning, but CU was only able to score one run as Organ slammed the door on the Camel comeback.
North Florida and Campbell continue the three game series with a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon starting at 1 p.m. at Dusty Rhodes Field at Harmon Stadium.
