Baseball Blanks Flames to Open Home Stand

Friday, February 25

Jacksonville, Fla.

7 p.m.

University of North Florida

3-1

Liberty

1-4

Liberty

North Florida

2/25/2011 10:20:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: UNF Athletics

Boxscore

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Senior pitcher Casey Medlen tossed a career-high 7.1 innings of shutout baseball to power the University of North Florida baseball team to a 5-0 victory over Liberty on Friday night at Dusty Rhodes Field at Harmon Stadium.

For the second straight game, the North Florida pitching staff recorded a shutout, improving its streak of consecutive scoreless innings to 20.

Medlen worked a career-high 7.1 innings. He held the Flames to just a pair of hits – both singles. The fireballer recorded a career-best seven strikeouts, while walking just one batter. Medlen boasted five 1-2-3 innings in his outing. He retired a season-long 12 batters in order.

The senior gave way to true freshman Tyler Moore in the eighth inning. Moore surrendered just one base hit while striking out one in his first appearance as an Osprey.

Offensively, North Florida recorded eight hits on the night including three extra base hits. True freshman Tyler Marincov blasted his first collegiate home run, a towering two-run shot over the scoreboard in left field. The freshman finished the game 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI.

Junior Andrew Karmeris and freshman Alex Hernandez each had a pair of his on the night. The duo each had a double and a run scored. In addition, Karmeris drove in a run. Senior Sam Perry also added an RBI while freshman Alex Bacon scored a run.

Liberty had three separate players record a hit – Matt Williams, Tyler Bream and Casey Rasmus. Starting pitcher Steven Evans took the loss for the Flames, working 5.1 innings, allowing five runs while recording eight strikeouts.

In the first inning, Medlen made short work of the Flames, setting down the visitors in order with a pair of strikeouts to his credit.

Medlen worked out of a jam in the second inning. With one out, Liberty's Michael Robertson reached base on a throwing error by North Florida. A single by Rasmus gave the Flames runners on the corners. Rasmus stole second base to put a pair of base runners into scoring position with just one out. Medlen induced a pop up to first base for the second out and a fly ball to left field ended the inning and the threat.

The third inning was similar to the first inning for Medlen as he worked his second 1-2-3 inning with a pair of strikeouts. In the fourth inning, the Osprey starter surrendered a leadoff single, but a fielder's choice eliminated the lead runner. A shallow fly ball to center field recorded the second out of the inning, but the runner advanced to second on a wild pitch. Medlen escaped the inning without allowing a run as he set down the next batter on strikes.

North Florida broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the fourth inning. Bacon struck out to start the inning, but a wild pitch allowed the freshman to not only reach base, but advance to second. Karmeris drove in the first run of the game with a double to left center field. A sacrifice bunt moved Karmeris over to third base. With a runner on third and one out, Marincov jumped on the first pitch he saw and drove it over the Harmon Stadium scoreboard in left field to give UNF a 3-0 advantage.

Medlen was back to work in the fifth inning, sitting down the Flames in order. He needed just eight pitches in the sixth inning to close out the inning in order.

The Ospreys added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Marincov led off the inning with an infield single and advanced to second on a throwing error. Hernandez collected his first collegiate hit to give UNF runners on the corners. Perry singled over the head of the third baseman and the ball was mishandled by the Flames' left fielder. Marincov and Hernandez were both able to score on the hit and the error to give North Florida a 5-0 cushion.

Medlen recorded his fifth 1-2-3 inning in the seventh inning, extending his streak of consecutive batters retired to 11. The senior hurler struck out the first batter of the inning in the eighth inning. A walk snapped his consecutive batters retired streak at 12. The Ospreys went to the bullpen and brought Moore in to pitch. Moore induced a fly ball for the second out of the inning and closed out the inning with his first collegiate strikeout.

In the ninth inning, the defense helped secure the shutout. Moore surrendered a leadoff single, but a fly ball to center field saw a runner on first with one out. The next batter lined out to Perry at shortstop and Perry alertly threw to first, catching the runner off base for the game-ending double play.

North Florida and Liberty continues the four-game series with a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon. The twin bill is slated to start at 1:00 p.m.