Boxscore
 
KENNESAW, Ga. – With one out and runners on first and second in the bottom of the ninth, a costly error by the University of North Florida baseball team while trying to turn a double play ultimately lead to three unearned runs as the Ospreys dropped a heartbreaker 4-3 to Kennesaw State on Sunday afternoon at Stillwell Stadium.
 
The Ospreys will look to rebound as they return to action with a midweek game against No. 1 Florida at Dusty Rhodes Field at Harmon Stadium on Wednesday, April 3 at 6:00 p.m.
 
On the mound, UNF received three solid performances. Starting pitcher Tyler Moore allowed just one run in 6.0 innings of work. The sophomore scattered five hits in his outing. Moore surrendered three walks, but struck out six en route to a no decision.
 
Moore gave way to Tommy Organ. The southpaw was charged with two unearned runs in 2.0 innings of work. He allowed two hits, two walks and fanned two batters. Evan Stermer took the hard-luck loss, tossing 0.2 innings of relief. Stermer allowed one unearned run on one hit with a strikeout.
 
Offensively, North Florida scored three runs on nine hits. Alex Bacon and Tyler Marincov each finished the game with a pair of hits with Bacon recording the only extra base hit of the game for the Ospreys. Paul Karmeris, Drew Weeks and Bacon each scored runs on the day, while Joe Iorio, Andrew Karmeris and Bryan Mathews all recorded RBI.
 
North Florida was the first to score, plating a pair of runs in the top of the second inning. Weeks was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Bacon drove the first pitch he saw down the left field line for a double to give the Ospreys a pair of runners in scoring position. Mathews scored Weeks from third and advanced Bacon to third with a sacrifice fly to straight away center field. Bacon came home to score on an RBI groundout by Joe Iorio to give UNF a 2-0 lead after one and a half innings.
 
The Ospreys added a run in the top of the fifth inning. P. Karmeris led off the inning with a single up the middle. He advanced to second base as Marincov singled to left center field. Ryan Roberson moved the runners with a sacrifice bunt. With runners on second and third and one out, A. Karmeris scored his brother from third base with a sacrifice fly to center field, giving UNF a 3-0 edge.
 
The Owls chipped into the Ospreys lead with a run in the bottom of the sixth inning. North Florida surrendered a leadoff walk, but picked off the runner at first for the first out of the inning. The next batter doubled to right field to five KSU a runner in scoring position. UNF struck out the next batter, but a RBI single to left field cut the Ospreys' lead to 3-1.
 
The score remained 3-1 until the bottom of the ninth inning. The inning began with a walk and a single that prompted a pitching change by the Ospreys. Stermer came in to pitch and got the next batter to strike out swinging for the first out of the inning. Kennesaw State's next batter hit a hard ground ball to short, but in an attempt to turn a double play, the Ospreys committed an error. On the play, the lead runner scored and the Owls were left with two runners in scoring position. KSU tied the score with a sacrifice fly to center field. Kennesaw State completed the comeback with a RBI single to give the hosts a 4-3 victory.
 
North Florida returns home for a midweek game against No. 1 Florida Gators on Tuesday, April 3, at Harmon Stadium. First pitch is slated for 6:00 p.m. Live stats, live audio, live video and in-game Tweets (@UNFOspreys) will be available for the game.
 
Tuesday's game will be “Can UF Night.” All attendees are encouraged to bring non-perishable items such as cans of soup, boxes of pasta, breakfast snacks or hygiene products. All donations will be used to stock the Lend a Wing Pantry which is an anonymous on-campus pantry open to all students located on the first floor of UNF Hall and scheduled to open this spring. Free Pantry T-shirts will be thrown out and everyone who donates will be entered into a drawing to win gift cards from local businesses such as the UNF Bookstore. The Volunteer Center will have a table at the gate entrance where donations can be dropped off and students can learn how to become a Lend a Wing Pantry volunteer.
 
In addition, the game between the Ospreys and Gators will be “Toss It Back Tuesday,” featuring $1.00 beers while supplies last.