JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The University of North Florida baseball team dropped a pair of games to Atlantic Sun Conference rival Kennesaw State on Sunday afternoon at Dusty Rhodes Field at Harmon Stadium. The Ospreys (25-25, 13-17 A-Sun) fell 9-3 in game one before dropping a 13-12 decision to the Owls (30-21, 16-10 A-Sun) in game two.
On the day, the Ospreys pounded out 29 hits on the day, including 20 hits in game two. Ten of the eleven batters for UNF who played on the day recorded at least one hit with nine batters recording multiple hits.
Alex Hernandez and T.J. Gavlik each had a pair of hits in game number one, while Andrew Karmeris, Alex, Bacon, Dahl, Hannon, Smith and Perry each had multiple hits in game two. Hannon led the way for North Florida going 5-for-5 with three runs scored in the second game. A. Karmeris finished the day with four hits including two doubles and a home run. Bacon added a pair of doubles on the afternoon. A. Karmeris and Dahl led all Ospreys on the day with three RBI apiece, while Bacon paced UNF with four runs scored.
North Florida returns to action with four consecutive nonconference road games to close out the 2011 regular season. The Ospreys travel to Tampa on Tuesday night to take on USF, before traveling to the bayou to face the University of New Orleans in a weekend series.
GAME ONE RECAP
Kennesaw State was the first to scratch the scoreboard as the Owls scored two runs in the top of the first inning. After a one-out double to left center field, KSU's Ronnie Freeman hit his seventh home run to put the visitors in front, 2-0.
North Florida cut the Kennesaw State lead in half with a run in the bottom of the fourth inning. With one out, Bacon was hit by a pitch to start things off for the Ospreys. Shane Kennedy followed with a walk to give UNF a pair of base runners. Gavlik delivered an RBI single through the right side of the infield to score Bacon from second and trim the deficit to 2-1.
The Owls increased their lead with three runs in the top of the fifth inning. A fielding error allowed the first base runner of the inning for KSU. A single and a second home run by Freeman gave the visitors a 5-1 advantage after four and a half innings of play.
The Ospreys added a run in the bottom of the fifth inning. Corey Bass reached base on a fielder's choice to start the inning for UNF. A. Karmeris followed with a walk and Smith was hit by a pitch to load the bases. With two outs, Bacon worked a two-out RBI walk with the bases loaded to make the score 5-2.
KSU got the run back with a solo home run by Bucky Smith in the top of the sixth inning to push the Owls advantage back to four runs at 6-2. Kennesaw State would continue the inning by scoring a pair of runs on at two-RBI single to go ahead 8-2.
UNF scored a run in the bottom of the seventh inning to cut the deficit. A. Karmeris led off the inning with a double down the right field line and Smith followed with a single to leave the Ospreys with runners on the corners. Dahl scored Karmeris from third base with a sacrifice fly to right field.
Kennesaw State increased its lead back to six with a run in the top of the ninth inning to provide the final margin of victory, 9-3.
GAME TWO RECAP
For the second straight game, Kennesaw State scored a run in the top of the first inning to take an early lead. With one out, the Owls used a double to right center field to put a runner in scoring position. A throwing error by the Ospreys allowed the runner to advance to third base and a two out single allowed the run to score.
North Florida responded with two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Bass led off the game with a single through the left side of the infield for the Ospreys. A sacrifice bunt by Hernandez moved Bass into scoring position. A. Karmeris delivered an RBI double to knot the score at 1-1. With two outs, Dahl recorded an RBI single to give UNF its first lead of the day, 2-1.
The Ospreys added a pair of runs in the bottom of the second inning. Hannon led off the inning with a single up the middle. He advanced to second base on a groundout. Perry followed with a single to put runners on the corners for UNF. Bass reached on a fielder's choice to score Hannon from third base. Bass stole second base to move into scoring position and came around to score on a double off the wall by Hernandez, putting UNF in front 4-1.
The Owls knotted the score at 4-4 with three runs in the top of the third inning. A single and a double left the visitors with a pair of runners in scoring position. Back-to-back RBI groundouts scored two runs to pull Kennesaw State to within one run. Back-to-back walks continued the inning and an RBI single up the middle tied the score at four apiece.
UNF regained the lead with a run in the bottom of the third inning. Bacon led off the inning with a double to right center field. Dahl followed with an RBI single to right center field to put the Ospreys in front 5-4 after three complete innings of play.
KSU used a second three-run inning to take the lead in the fourth inning. With two outs, Kennesaw State used a double and a walk to place two runners on base for Andy Chriscaden who hit his team-leading 14th home run to put the Owls in front, 7-5.
Kennesaw State added a pair of runs in the top of the fifth inning to increase their lead. A walk, a single and a sacrifice bunt left the Owls with a pair of runners in scoring position and just one out. A pop up recorded the second out of the inning, but back-to-back RBI singles scored a pair of runs and saw the Ospreys trailing 9-5.
North Florida responded with three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to pull to within one run. Bacon led off the inning with a double off of the left field wall. A groundout moved Bacon into scoring position. Kennedy drove home the first run of the inning with an RBI groundout. Hannon continued the inning with a single up the middle. Smith followed with a chopper over towards first base. The ball dropped in between the pitcher and the first base man for a single and an errant throw by the KSU pitcher allowed Smith to reach second and Hannon to score easily. Perry followed with an RBI single to center field, cutting the deficit to 9-8.
The Ospreys took the lead with three runs in the sixth inning. Hernandez walked to lead off the inning and came around to score as A. Karmeris belted his team-leading 10th home run of the season. Bacon continued the inning with a single to center field. Dahl singled to give UNF runners on the corners. A sacrifice fly by Kennedy plated Bacon and gave the Ospreys a 11-9 advantage.
The see saw battle continued as the Owls responded with four runs, as the visitors batted around sending nine batters to the plate in the inning. Back-to-back singles and a sacrifice flies left KSU with a pair of base runners in scoring position. The next batter grounded the ball to the shortstop who tried to get the batter out at third base, but the throw was not in time allowing the run to score and leaving runners on the corners for Kennesaw State. A fielding error by the Ospreys continued the inning and allowed the lead runner to score. The Owls capped off the inning with a two-RBI double to take a 13-11 advantage.
North Florida cut into the deficit with a run in the bottom of the eighth inning. With two outs, Hannon singled up the middle to get things started for UNF. He advanced to second on a passed ball. Smith followed with and RBI single to right field to score Hannon from second base and cut the KSU lead to one at 13-12.
UNF was able to put the tying run on second base in the final inning of play, but were unable to score, falling by one.
