JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The University of North Florida baseball team dropped the second game of a three-game series against crosstown rival Jacksonville, falling 5-2 at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville on Saturday afternoon.
The Ospreys fell to 24-21 overall and 12-14 in the Atlantic Sun, while the Dolphins improved to 29-17 and 18-8 in league play.
Offensively, UNF managed just two runs on five hits, while JU registered five runs on nine hits.
Corey Bass led all Ospreys with a pair of hits. He finished the game 2-for-4 with a double. Andrew Karmeris finished the game 1-for-3 with a home run, a run scored and two RBI. Sam Perry scored the other run for the Ospreys.
On the mound, Tyler Moore took the hard luck loss for the Ospreys. The true freshman tossed 6.0 innings. He scattered seven hits, surrendering four runs with just three earned runs. Moore struck out four batters, but walked five. Clayton Schulz entered the game in relief of Moore, allowing an unearned run on one hit with an intentional walk and a strikeout. Chandler Jagodzinski closed out the game for UNF, working the final 1.1 innings allowing one hit and striking out one.
Jacksonville was the first team to score, plating a run in the bottom of the first inning. A leadoff walk proved to be costly for the Ospreys. The runner stole second base to move into scoring position. A single dropped just inside of fair territory on the left field line. The Ospreys' throw home beat the runner, but the ball was dropped, allowing the first run of the game to score.
The Dolphins added a run in the bottom of the second inning. Back-to-back singles led off the inning and a sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position. A walk loaded the bases and a second walk of the inning scored the second run of the game for the designated home team.
The Ospreys cut the deficit in half with a run in the top of the third inning. Perry led off the inning with a walk and advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Alex Hernandez. Bass singled up the middle to give UNF a pair of runners on the corners. Karmeris hit a sacrifice fly to deep center field to score Perry and cut the JU lead to 2-1.
Jacksonville added an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth inning. A single started off the inning for the Dolphins. After a strikeout, JU used a second single of the inning to put runners on the corners. A fielder's choice allowed the lead runner to score and recorded the second out. Moore ended the inning with a strikeout, but the Ospreys trailed 3-1.
North Florida cut the lead down to 3-2 with one swing in the top of the sixth inning. Karmeris led off the inning with his team-leading ninth home run of the season. The homer was Karmeris' 21st of his career, placing the junior just three home runs shy of tying Justin Preckajlo (2009-10) for 10th in UNF history.
The Dolphins increased their lead with a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. JU led off the inning with a walk. After a pitching change, the Dolphins advanced the base runner with a sacrifice bunt. A single left JU with runners on the corners, but the runner on first advanced to second with a stolen base. Schulz fanned the next batter for the second out of the inning. The Ospreys intentionally walked the next batter to load the bases. The next Jacksonville batter hit a ball to third base, but the throw to first was off the mark, allowing two runs to score.
Neither team was able to score in the final two innings with the Dolphins taking the game 5-2.
North Florida and Jacksonville conclude the three-game series with a single game on Sunday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. at Sessions Stadium.
