JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The University of North Florida baseball team dropped the opening game of a three-game Atlantic Sun Conference series with Kennesaw State, falling 10-4 in the opening game on Friday night at Dusty Rhodes Field at Harmon Stadium.
The Ospreys fell to 25-23 overall and 13-15 in the A-Sun, while Kennesaw State improved to 28-21 and 14-10 in the conference.
Offensively, UNF recorded nine hits on the day, with a double and a home run. Three Ospreys had multiple hits in the game. Corey Bass led North Florida with three hits, while Andrew Hannon and T.J. Gavlik each had a pair of hits each. Hannon recorded a double, a run scored and an RBI, while Gavlik hit his first home run of the season, scored a run and led the team with a pair of RBI. In addition to three hits, Bass walked and drove in a run. Shane Kennedy and Alex Bacon each scored runs on the night.
On the mound, Robbie Collier took the loss for the Ospreys. The senior scattered nine hits in 6.2 innings of work. Collier was charged with six runs of which five runs were earned. The southpaw walked two batters and struck out seven batters. Casey Medlen worked the final 2.1 innings in relief. The senior scattered five hits, allowing four runs – one earned run. Medlen walked two batters, striking out three.
North Florida was the first team to scratch the scoreboard, plating two runs in the bottom of the second inning. Bacon led off the inning by reaching second on a fielding error by Kennesaw State. Kennedy followed with a single to the shortstop, advancing Bacon to third. Hannon delivered a one-out double to score Bacon and put the Ospreys ahead 1-0. Gavlik drove in Kennedy from third with an RBI groundout to put UNF in front 2-0 after two complete innings of play.
Kennesaw State responded with three runs in the top of the third inning. With one out, the Owls used back-to-back singles to get things started. KSU used a two out double down the left field line to score the first run of the season and leave the Owls with a pair of runners in scoring position. Back-to-back RBI singles allowed Kennesaw State to tie the game and take the lead, 3-2.
The Owls added a pair of runs in the top of the fifth inning. A walk and an error left KSU with a pair of base runners with one out. A second walk of the inning loaded the bases. A two-RBI double to right center field pushed the visitors' lead to 5-2.
The Ospreys chipped into the Owls' lead with a run in the bottom of the fifth inning. Gavlik led off the inning with his first home run of the season. The home run was the second of the junior's career. His last home run came against No. 4 Florida back on May 18, 2010.
KSU scored five runs in the final three innings to take a seven run advantage into the final half inning of play. The Owls scored a run in the seventh inning, three runs in the eighth and one in the ninth to lead 10-2.
UNF tried to rally in the bottom of the ninth inning, but came up short. With one out, Hannon singled up the middle and advanced to second base on a single by Gavlik. With two outs, Bass drove in Hannon with an RBI single up the middle. The Ospreys were unable to continue the rally as a strikeout ended the game.
North Florida and Kennesaw State continue the three-game conference tilt with a single game on Saturday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. at Dusty Rhodes Field at Harmon Stadium.
