Boxscore

 

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The University of North Florida baseball team opened Atlantic Sun Conference play with an 8-4 loss to defending regular season champions Florida Gulf Coast on Friday night at Dusty Rhodes Field at Harmon Stadium. 

 

Offensively, North Florida recorded eight hits on the game, including four extra base hits.

 

The Ospreys were led by junior Andrew Karmeris.  The Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. native finished the game 3-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBI.  Karmeris belted his second home run of the game and delivered an RBI double. 

 

Senior Michael Smith also added a pair of hits on the night.  Smith recorded a double and scored a run in the game. 

 

On the mound, senior Casey Medlen took the loss for the Ospreys.  Medlen tossed 6.0 innings, scattering seven hits.  He surrendered five runs, while striking out five.  Sophomore Josh Patton entered the game in relief, working 2.0 innings, giving up three runs on four hits.  Freshman Joe Iorio worked the final inning, surrendering a hit, while recording a strikeout. 

 

Florida Gulf Coast was the first to scratch the scoreboard, scoring a run in the top of the second inning.  FGCU's Zach Maxfield homered to left center to put the Eagles ahead 1-0. 

 

North Florida responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third inning.  Smith doubled down the right field to give the Ospreys a runner in scoring position.  Karmeris followed with an RBI double down the left field line, scoring Smith and tying the score at 1-1.  Evan Stermer singled to right field to put runners on the corners for UNF.  Tyler Marincov drew a walk to load the bases.  Kyle Dahl was hit by a pitch, scoring Karmeris from third and giving the Ospreys a 2-1 lead. 

 

The UNF lead was short lived as Florida Gulf Coast responded with a four-run fourth inning.  The inning began with a walk and Maxfield hit his second home run of the game to put the Eagles back in front 3-2.  Three more hits in the inning allowed FGCU to score two more runs and extend its lead to 5-2. 

 

The Ospreys cut into the Eagles lead in the bottom of the fifth inning.  Stermer led off the inning with a walk and he moved to third thanks to a double by Dahl.  True freshman Alex Bacon scored Stermer from third with a sacrifice fly to left field, cutting the deficit to 5-3. 

 

The Eagles extended their lead in the top of the eighth inning.  Florida Gulf Coast scored three runs on three hits, including a two-run home run to extend its lead to 8-3. 

 

The Ospreys cut into the Eagles lead with a solo home run by Karmeris in the bottom of the ninth inning.  The rally fell short and the Ospreys fell 8-4. 

 

North Florida and Florida Gulf Coast will conclude the three-game series with a doubleheader on Saturday, March 5, beginning at 1:00 p.m.  The game originally scheduled for Sunday has been moved to Saturday due to inclement weather expected in the Jacksonville area on Sunday.