Boxscore
WILMINGTON, N.C. – The University of North Florida baseball team used an eight-run second inning to jump out to an early lead and never looked back as the Ospreys (8-9) defeated UNC Wilmington (11-6) by a score of 11-7 on Wednesday night at Brooks Field.
North Florida pounded out 14 hits on the night, including five extra base hits. The Ospreys had four batters with multiple hits on the night led by Alex Bacon and Kyle Dahl. Bacon finished the game 3-for-5 with a home run, a double, three runs scored and an RBI, while Dahl was 3-for-5 with a run scored and a run batted in. Robbie Collier and Shane Kennedy each had a pair of hits in the game. Both Collier and Kennedy had a double apiece. Evan Stermer finished the game with one hit, but made it count as he belted his second home run of the season. Stermer led the team with three RBI on the night.
Starting pitcher Marshal Rosenberger earned the victory on the night. The sophomore scattered four hits in 5.0 innings of work. He surrendered three runs, while striking out four and walking a pair.
Clayton Schulz worked the next 3.0 innings in relief. The sophomore allowed one unearned run on three hits. He had no walks with four strikeouts to his credit.
Brandan Keen and Chandler Jagodzinski combined to pitch the final inning. The duo scattered three hits, allowing three runs, walking a pair and striking out two.
North Florida was the first team to plate a run, scoring a season-best eight runs in the top of the second inning. In the inning, UNF batted around for the fifth time this season, scoring the most runs in an inning thus far this season. The Ospreys also recorded the most hits in an inning this season and belted a pair of home runs, which is a high for UNF on the year.
With one out in the second inning, Collier got things rolling for the Ospreys with a double to right field. Dahl followed with a single through the left side of the infield to give UNF runners on the corners. Stermer put the Ospreys on the scoreboard with one swing as the junior blasted his second home run of the season – a three-run shot to right center field. Bacon followed with a home run of his own, marking the first time this season that North Florida has gone back-to-back in the home run department. Kennedy continued the inning with a single to left field. Alex Hernandez drew a four-pitch walk to give UNF a pair of base runners. Andrew Karmeris drove in Kennedy with an RBI single down the left field line. After a pitching change, Michael Smith reached base on a fielder's choice that left the Ospreys with runners on the corners. Michael Wesner was hit by a pitch to load the bases for North Florida. Collier delivered a two-run single to left field to continue the barrage. Dahl singled up the middle to score Wesner to give UNF an 8-0 lead after two innings of play.
UNC Wilmington cut into the UNF lead with three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. With two runners on and two outs, UNCW's Thomas Pope hit his second home run of the season to trim the Ospreys' lead to 8-3.
UNF got a run back in the top of the fifth inning without the benefit of a base hit. Stermer led off the inning with a walk. Bacon reached on a throwing error by the Seahawks. A fielder's choice eliminated the lead runner, but left UNF with a pair of base runners. A wild pitch moved both base runners into scoring position. Hernandez walked to load the bases. Karmeris reached base on an RBI fielder's choice to push the North Florida advantage to 9-3.
Neither team could score until the UNCW plated a run in the bottom of the eighth inning. The leadoff batter reached base on a fielding error by the Ospreys, advancing all the way to second base on the play. The runner moved to third base on a wild pitch. He came around to score on a single up the middle. Despite a double in the inning, the Seahawks were unable to score any more runs and the two teams went into the final inning of play with UNF leading 9-4.
The Ospreys added a pair of insurance runs in the top of the ninth inning. Bacon doubled down the left field line to start the inning and came around to score on a Kennedy RBI double down the right field line. Hernandez drove in the final run of the game for the Ospreys, singling in Kennedy.
The Seahawks tried to rally in the bottom of the ninth inning, but the rally fell short. UNC Wilmington's leadoff batter walked to start the inning. Following a strikeout, the base runner advanced to second on a wild pitch and moved to third on a balk. A double down the right field line scored the first run of the inning. The next batter of the inning flew out to right field following a pitching change by UNF. A two-run home run to left field cut the Ospreys' lead to 11-7, but the Seahawks would get no closer as a strikeout ended the game.
North Florida continues the road swing with a three-game series against Atlantic Sun Conference opponent USC Upstate. The first game between the Ospreys and the Spartans is slated for Friday, March 18, at 4 p.m. The series concludes with a doubleheader at 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 19.
