Box Score 1 UNF vs. Alcorn State Boxscore
UNF vs. Wagner Boxscore
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The University of North Florida baseball team finished up the opening weekend of the Kennel Club Classic with a pair of victories at Dusty Rhodes Field at Harmon Stadium. The Ospreys (6-6) started the day with a 10-6 victory over AlcornState, and then defeated Wagner, 11-7, in the nightcap.
North Florida collected a total of 25 hits on the day, recording 13 hits against Alcorn and 12 hits versus Wagner. The double digit hits in each game extended the Ospreys streak of consecutive games with 10 or more hits to nine. For the season, UNF has recorded 10 double-digit hit performances out of 12 games.
On the mound, the Ospreys surrendered 13 runs with 11 earned runs. UNF pitchers fanned 15 total batters on the day, with 10 strikeouts in game one against AlcornState.
“We started swinging the bats better over the last week,” head coach Dusty Rhodes stated after the games. “We got some good performances on the mound. We swung the bats and played decent defense and our pitching is starting to come around. We are starting to come around. We have a big week ahead of us.”
GAME 1 RECAP
The University of North Florida baseball team opened the day with a 10-6 victory over AlcornState.
Offensively, the Ospreys scored 10 runs on 13 hits including two doubles and a pair of home runs. Andrew Hannon led the way for UNF in the first game, finishing the game 3-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. Andrew Karmeris, T.J. Thompson, Corey Bass and Ryan Roberson each had two hits apiece in the game. Bass recorded his first collegiate home run and finished with a game-high four RBI. Justin Preckajlo led all Ospreys with three runs in the game.
On the mound for UNF, Kyle Finch recorded his first collegiate victory. The freshman worked a season-high 6.2 innings, scattering five hits. Finch was charged with five runs. He walked three and struck out eight batters. Finch had at least one strikeout in each of the first six innings he pitched. At one point, the freshman hurler retired 10 consecutive batters.
Tommy Organ entered the game in the seventh in relief of Finch. The freshman worked the final 2.1 innings, surrendering three hits en route to his first save of the season. Organ allowed one unearned run, striking out two without issuing a walk.
The Ospreys were the first to score, plating a runner in the bottom of the first inning. Andrew Hannon led of the game with a single up the middle. He stole second base to move into scoring position. A walk to Preston Hale gave UNF a pair of base runners. Andrew Karmeris delivered an RBI single through the right side of the infield to give the hosts a quick 1-0 lead.
The Braves responded with two runs in the top of the second inning. A leadoff walk coupled with an RBI double and an RBI single gave ASU a 2-1 advantage after an inning and a half.
UNF regained the lead in the bottom of the second inning. After Justin Preckajlo reached base on a fielding error by AlcornState, T.J. Thompson dropped a single into shallow left field to give the Ospreys a pair of base runners. Corey Bass cleared the bases with one swing as the freshman blasted his first collegiate home run over the right field fence to give North Florida a 4-2 lead.
The Ospreys added a run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Hannon extended his hot streak with an RBI single up the middle to increase the UNF lead to 5-2.
North Florida extended its lead to 7-2 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Karmeris led off the inning with a double to left center field and moved to third on a wild pitch. A fielding error allowed Preckajlo to reach base safely and Karmeris to score from third. Preckajlo stole second to move into scoring position and Thompson brought home the run with and RBI single to right field.
AlcornState closed the gap in the top of the seventh. The Braves scored three runs on three hits. The ASU inning was highlighted by a two-RBI single to center field for the final two runs of the inning.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, the Ospreys answered with three runs of their own. Junior Sam Perry collected the only hit of the inning, belting his first home run of the season to drive in two runs. The home run was Perry's fifth of his UNF career and gave the Ospreys a 10-5 advantage.
AlcornState scratched out a run in the top of the eighth inning, but would get no closer, falling by a final score of 10-6.
GAME 2 RECAP
In game two on the day, North Florida trailed 6-2 after three innings, but rallied with runs in the final four innings to claim an 11-7 victory over Wagner.
Offensively, the Ospreys were led by Hale who finished the game 3-for-5 with a double, two runs scored and three RBI. Kyle Dahl and Michael Smith each had two hits in the second game with Dahl hitting his first home run of the year and scoring two runs.
George Lott picked up the victory in game two. The junior worked 7.0 innings allowing six runs over the first three innings, but holding the Seahawks scoreless over his final four innings. Lott fanned three batters while walking two.
Clayton Schulz picked up a save in the game. The redshirt freshman struck out two batters, while walking one. He allowed one unearned run in 2.0 innings of relief.
Wagner started the game with three quick runs in the first inning. A walk and a single gave the Seahawks a pair of base runners without an out. A ground out moved the runners into scoring position, but that would not matter as the clean up hitter put the visitors on the scoreboard with a three-run home run to left field. The Ospreys escaped the inning without allowing any more runs, but trailed 3-0 after a half an inning of play.
The Ospreys plated a run in the bottom of the first inning to cut the deficit to 3-1. Smith singled to left center field to start things off for UNF. Hale followed with a double down the left field line. Karmeris hit a fly ball to right field that was deep enough to score Smith from third on the sacrifice.
North Florida cut the Seahawks lead to just one, 3-2, after scoring a run in the bottom of the second inning. Preckajlo led off the inning with a base hit to left field. He advanced to second on a throwing error by Wagner. A wild pitch moved the senior to third base. Thompson had an RBI ground out to score Preckajlo from third.
The Seahawks increased their lead to 6-2 with three runs in the top of the third inning. Wagner collected five consecutive base hits including a pair of doubles to jump out to a four-run lead after two and a half innings.
UNF cut the Wagner lead in half with a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth inning by Dahl. The home run was the first of the season for Dahl and the second of his career. The long ball cut the deficit to 6-3.
The Ospreys added a run in the bottom of the sixth inning to chip away at the Wagner lead. Thompson tripled off of the right field wall with two outs. A wild pitch brought Thompson home and cut the margin to 6-4.
Trailing 6-4, North Florida took the lead in the bottom of the seventh inning. The Ospreys rallied for four runs on three hits to take an 8-6 lead which they would not relinquish. Roberson led off the inning with a four-pitch walk and T.J. Gavlik came in to pinch run. Hannon doubled to left field to score Gavlik and cut the lead to just one. Hannon advanced to third on a balk and tied the game on a Hale RBI single through the right side of the infield. Karmeris extended the inning with a single through the left side. Preckajlo walked to load the bases and each runner advanced on a wild pitch, giving the Ospreys their first lead of the game. Thompson walked to load the bases and an RBI walk by Dahl extended UNF's lead to two.
UNF added three insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, making the score 11-6. The inning was highlighted by a two RBI single down the right field line by Hale.
Wagner scored an unearned run in the final inning of the game, but it would not be enough as the Ospreys secured the 11-7 victory.
North Florida returns to action on Wednesday, March 10 as they travel to Tallahassee, Fla. to play FloridaState. The game against the Ospreys and Seminoles is a make up game from the Feb. 24 game that was rained out earlier this season. The game time is slated for 4 p.m.
