DeLAND, Fla. – Trailing 3-1, the University of North Florida baseball team rallied to tie the game at 3-3, but ultimately fell 6-3 on Friday night to No. 17 Stetson at Melching Field in DeLand, Fla.
The Ospreys fell to 23-16 overall and 12-10 in the Atlantic Sun while, the Hatters improved to 32-10 and 14-5 in league play.
On the mound, senior Robbie Collier earned a no decision in his eighth start of the season. The southpaw worked 6.2 innings, scattering five hits. He allowed three runs, but only one earned run. Collier walked two batters, striking out a career high nine batters on the night.
Chandler Jagodzinski took the loss for the Ospreys in relief. The junior surrendered three runs on three hits in 1.1 innings of work. Jagodzinski walked a batter and struck out another.
Offensively, UNF managed just four hits on the day with a pair of extra base hits. Andrew Karmeris led the way for the Ospreys finishing the game, 2-for-4 with a double. Alex Bacon and Alex Hernandez each had a hit in the game with Bacon recording a double. Bacon, along with Michael Wesner and Sam Perry each scored a run in the game while Hernandez and Kyle Dahl each drove in a run.
North Florida took the lead with a run in the top of the second inning. Bacon led things off for the Ospreys with a double down the left field line. Shane Kennedy moved Bacon to within 90 feet of home with a sacrifice bunt. A fielding error by the Hatters allowed Bacon to score easily from third base and give UNF a 1-0 advantage.
Stetson took the lead with three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. With one out, the Hatters used a single and an error to put a runner in scoring position. The runner advanced to third base on a ground out. A walk and a hit by pitch loaded the bases for the home team. The first run of the game for the Hatters crossed the plate on a bases loaded walk. A two base error by the Ospreys allowed the next two runs to score and gave Stetson a 3-1 advantage after six innings of play.
Trailing 3-1 in the top of the eighth inning, the Ospreys scored a pair of runs to tie the score. Wesner struck out but reached base on a wild pitch. He stole second base to move into scoring position. The Hatters shortstop made a pair of errors that allowed Perry to reach second base and allowed Wesner to score to cut the lead to just one. An RBI single by Hernandez knotted the score at 3-3.
The Hatters regained the lead in the bottom of the eighth inning. With two outs, Stetson used a single and a walk to put a pair of runners on base. A hit batter loaded the bases for the home team. A double down the right field line plated two runners and gave the No. 17 team the lead once again. An infield single plated the final run of the inning and put the Hatters in front 6-3, a lead they would not relinquish.
North Florida and Stetson continue the three-game tilt with a single game on Saturday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. at Melching Field.
