Boxscore
FORT MYERS, Fla. – The University of North Florida baseball team struggled early and could not recover, as the Ospreys dropped an 18-6 decision to Florida Gulf Coast on Thursday night at Swanson Stadium in Fort Myers, Fla.
UNF surrendered four runs in the first and six runs in the fifth, putting themselves in a hole that was too deep to climb out of.
Offensively, North Florida recorded 12 hits on the night. The hit total marked the 45th time this season UNF recorded eight or more hits in a game.
Ten North Florida batters recorded hits in the game, including Michael Smith and Sam Perry who each had a pair of hits. Smith finished the game 2-for-4, while Perry was 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI.
The Ospreys had two extra base hits. David Eldredge blasted a solo home run to straight away center field off of Chris Sale, the Atlantic Sun Conference Preseason Pitcher of the Year. Preston Hale had a two-RBI double, leading the team in runs batted in on the night.
George Lott took the loss for the Ospreys. The starter did not have his best stuff, allowing four runs on four hits in just 0.2 of an inning. He walked a batter and struck out a batter. In addition, Lott surrendered a three-run home run in the first.
Greg Koehler entered the game in relief. The senior worked 2.1 innings, allowing just one run on a pair of hits. Koehler walked a pair, while striking out one. Clayton Schulz replaced Koehler, working 2.1 innings. He ran into trouble in the devastating fifth inning. Schulz walked just one batter and struck out a pair.
Jon Turner, Trey Ferrano and Kris Linster combined for the final 2.1 innings of work. Linster had the best outing as he was the only Osprey pitcher who did not surrender a run in the game.
Florida Gulf Coast was the first team to score as the home team plated four runs on four hits in the bottom of the first inning. A lead off doubled and an infield single gave the Eagles runners on the corners. The Ospreys struck out the next batter, but FGCU used a three-run home run to left field to jump out to the early 3-0 lead. A walk extended the inning and an RBI double scored the fourth run of the inning. The Ospreys used a groundout to record the second out of the inning, but a second walk left the Eagles with runners on the corners. The next batter popped up to second base to stop the rally at 4-0.
FGCU added a run to its lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. A leadoff double combined with a walk left the Eagles a pair of bases runners with on outs. The next batter grounded into a double play, leaving the hosts with a runner on third and two outs. A single scored the run and saw the Ospreys behind 5-0 after four complete innings.
UNF chipped into the lead with a pair of runs top of the fifth inning. Eldredge led off the inning. Batting from the right side, the senior hit a solo home run to straight away center field against the A-Sun Preseason Pitcher of the Year Chris Sale. T.J. Thompson followed with a single, advancing to second on an error. A ground out advanced Thompson to third base. Perry successfully executed a safety squeeze to score Thompson and cut the lead to 5-2.
The Eagles responded with a six-run inning, batting around in the inning. A lead off home run got the inning started and five additional hits in the inning helped FGCU score five more runs, taking a 11-2 lead.
With one out in the seventh, Thompson walked to give UNF its first base runner of the inning. Andrew Hannon followed with a single to shallow center field. Perry delivered an infield single to load the bases. T.J. Gavlik walked to score the first run of the inning. The Ospreys got another run on a wild pitch. Hale hit a two-run double off of the left field wall to cut the deficit to 11-6 at the seventh inning stretch.
FGCU stretched its lead back to nine in the bottom of the seventh. With no outs and a runner on base, the Eagles hit their third home run of the game. A two-out, two-run double plated the final two runs of the inning, putting the score at 15-6. The Eagles added three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to provide the final margin of victory, 18-6.
North Florida and Florida Gulf Coast will conclude the series with a pair of games on Friday, May 21. The first game of the doubleheader is slated for 3 p.m.
