JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Freshman Tyler Moore threw a complete game shutout to lead the University of North Florida baseball team to a 5-0 victory over Mercer on Sunday afternoon at Dusty Rhodes Field at Harmon Stadium to give the Ospreys a 2-1 series victory over the Bears.
North Florida improves to 22-15 overall and 12-9 in Atlantic Sun Conference, while Mercer falls to 24-15 overall and 9-11 in conference play. The win gives the Ospreys their fifth consecutive A-Sun series victory.
On the mound, Moore threw the first complete game of the season for the Ospreys. The game was the fourth shutout of the season for North Florida and the first complete game shutout of the year for UNF. Moore tossed a season best 9.0 innings, scattering eight hits on the day. The freshman allowed only one extra base hit on the day. Moore issued only a pair of walks, while recording a career-high seven strikeouts on the day.
Offensively, the Ospreys recorded 10 hits on the day. North Florida had three players with multiple hits in the game led by Corey Bass who finished the game with three hits. Bass finished the game 3-for-4 with a double, a run scored and an RBI. Michael Smith and Andrew Karmeris each finished the game with a pair of hits. Shane Kennedy led all Ospreys with two runs scored, while five different batters drove in a run.
North Florida threatened in the bottom of the first inning. With two outs, Smith laid down a bunt single for the first base hit of the day for UNF. A. Karmeris followed with a single to right field. Both runners advanced one base on a passed ball by the Mercer catcher, but a groundout ended the inning and the Osprey threat.
Mercer threatened in the top of the third inning. With one out, the Bears got a single to start off the inning. Mercer's Jacob Tanis doubled off of the left field wall to put a pair of base runners in scoring position. The next batter hit a ground ball to third base and Sam Perry alertly threw the ball home to retire the lead runner. With two outs and two runners on base, Moore induced a fly ball to left field to end the inning.
The Bears threaten again in the top of the fifth inning. With one out, Mercer used a single to put a runner on base. Moore struck out the next batter for the second out of the inning. Tanis followed with a single, leaving the Bears with runners on the corners. Moore got the next batter to hit a weak ground ball back to the mound for the final out of the inning.
The Ospreys broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the fifth inning. Kennedy and Andrew Hannon reached on back-to-back fielding errors by the Mercer shortstop. Perry attempted to lay down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners, but the Bears tried to retire the lead runner. Kennedy was able to beat the throw to third base, leaving the bases loaded. Alex Hernandez drove in the first run of the game, as he reached on a fielder's choice. Bass continued the inning with an RBI single through the right side of the infield to score Hannon from third and give UNF a 2-0 advantage.
Moore worked out of a small jam in the top of the sixth inning. With one out, a single and a walk put a pair of runners on base for Mercer. Moore fanned the next batter and got a line drive out to right field to end the inning, leaving the Bears scoreless.
UNF added a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. A. Karmeris singled to the shortstop to lead off the inning. Alex Bacon reached on a fielder's choice. He stole second base to move into scoring position. Evan Stermer dropped a single into left field to put runners on the corners for the Ospreys. Bacon came around to score as Kennedy reached base on a fielder's choice. Kennedy stole second base to move into scoring position. Hannon singled up the middle to score Kennedy and put the Ospreys ahead 4-0.
North Florida added an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh inning. With one out, Bass doubled to right center field. After a pitching change, Smith followed with a single through the left side of the infield, moving Bass to third base. Bass came around to score as A. Karmeris reached on a fielding error.
Five runs would be more than enough for the Ospreys to earn the victory as Moore retired the final six Mercer batters in order to secure the win.
North Florida returns to action on Tuesday, April 19, as the Ospreys take on Bethune-Cookman in a midweek non-conference game at Dusty Rhodes Field at Harmon Stadium. First pitch between the Ospreys and the Wildcats is slated for 7:00 p.m.
