Boxscore
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The University of North Florida baseball team scored four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to record a 4-2 victory over in-state rival Bethune-Cookman on Wednesday night at Dusty Rhodes Field at Harmon Stadium. The Ospreys improved to 15-7 overall, while the Wildcats dropped to 12-10.
North Florida recorded six hits in the game by six different players. Three of the UNF hits on the night were for extra bases.
Alex Bacon finished the game with a home run and two RBI, while
Corey Bass and
Drew Weeks each had a double. Bass, Weeks,
Tyler Marincov and
Michael Wesner each scored a run in the game. Bacon led the team with two runs driven in with Weeks and
Ryan Roberson each adding RBI.
On the mound,
Spencer Herrmann picked up the victory. The freshman worked 4.0 innings in a controlled start. Herrmann scattered four hits, surrendering a pair of runs. He did not issue a walk, striking out three. Herrmann was relieved by
Chandler Jagodzinski. The senior tossed 2.2 innings with a career-high three strikeouts.
Bryan Mathews worked the final 2.1 innings, en route to his first collegiate save. The true freshman allowed a hit and struck out three.
Bethune-Cookman was the first team to score a run, plating a runner in the top of the second inning. With one out, the Wildcats put a runner in scoring position with a triple into the right field corner. The next batter put the visitors ahead with a sacrifice fly to right field.
The Wildcats added a run in the top of the third inning. BCU began the inning with a single through the left side of the infield. The next batter bunted the runner over but was able to reach safely on a UNF error. Bethune-Cookman used a second single in the inning to score the lead runner and take a 2-0 lead.
North Florida responded with a four-run fourth inning to take the lead. With one out, Marincov singled through the left side. Wesner followed with a single through the right side of the infield. The Ospreys used a double steal to move both runners into scoring position.
Ryan Roberson drove home the first run of the game with an RBI groundout. Weeks knotted the game with an RBI double to right center field, scoring Wesner from third. With two outs and a runner on second, Bacon lifted a 2-0 pitch over the left field fence to put the Ospreys in front 4-2. The home run was Bacon's third of the season.
UNF's pitchers allowed just two hits in the final five innings, facing the minimum for the final 17 outs of the game. The Ospreys pitching staff retired 14 batters in a row before surrendering a single in the ninth inning. The bullpen induced a double play and used a strikeout for the final out of the game, securing the victory.
North Florida continues the homestand with a three-game Atlantic Sun Conference series against USC Upstate. The series starts at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, March 23 at Dusty Rhodes Field at Harmon Stadium.
