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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The University of North Florida baseball team used a complete game shutout from starting pitcher
Kyle Westwood to earn a 6-0 victory over Lipscomb on Saturday afternoon at Dusty Rhodes Field at Harmon Stadium to even the three-game series at one game apiece. The junior hurler recorded a career-high 11 strikeouts en route to the shutout.
Westwood notched a career day on the mound for the Ospreys. The right-hander tossed a career-high 9.0 innings in his second career complete game. His last complete game was 8.0 innings on the road against Florida Gulf Coast earlier this season. Westwood fanned a career-high 11 batters in the game, breaking his previous high of 10 strikeouts set last week on the road against East Tennessee State. Westwood had at least one strikeout in seven innings with a pair of strikeouts in four innings.
The junior surrendered four hits – all singles – and did not issue a free pass. No batter in the Lipscomb lineup reached second base in the game. In the game, Westwood retired 16 consecutive batters in the game from the third inning to the eighth inning. For the entire game, Westwood faced just three batters over the minimum with six 1-2-3 innings.
Offensively, Westwood was supported by six runs on eight hits by the Ospreys. In addition, the Lipscomb pitching staff surrendered five walks and hit three batters.
Tyler Marincov,
Ryan Roberson and
Joe Wielbruda each had two hits apiece on the afternoon with Roberson scoring a team-best two runs. Wielbruda drove in a game-high three RBI on the day.
Garrick Ferguson had the only extra base hit by either team on the afternoon, a double to left center field in the fifth inning.
Westwood's only struggle of the game came in the first inning when he surrendered to of the four hits he allowed in the game. The leadoff batter started the game with a single to left center field, but Westwood used a double play by his defense to record the first two outs of the game and erase the runner. The next batter singled to center field, but Westwood ended the inning facing the minimum by catching the runner trying to steal.
The Westwood retired the Bisons in order in the second inning, striking out a pair in the inning. In the third, he allowed a one-out single, but ended the inning with back-to-back strikeouts to begin his streak of 16 consecutive batters retired.
North Florida scratched the scoreboard with a run in the bottom of the fourth inning. With two outs,
Paul Karmeris walked to get things started for the Ospreys.
Andrew Karmeris followed with an infield single. Marincov drove in the first run of the game with an RBI single up the middle to give UNF an early 1-0 advantage.
The Ospreys increased their lead with two runs in both the fifth and sixth innings. In the bottom of the fifth inning, Roberson singled through the left side of the infield to start things for UNF. Ferguson followed with a double to left center field, giving the Ospreys a pair of runners in scoring position. Wielbruda scored the runners with a two-RBI single. In the sixth inning, Bacon was hit by a pitch and Roberson singled up the middle. Ferguson walked to load the bases on three straight pitches. Four pitches later, Gavlik walked to drive in the lead runner. The Bisons made a pitching change, but Wielbruda drew a bases loaded four-pitch walk to score the second run of the inning and give UNF a 5-0 advantage.
UNF added an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh inning. A. Karmeris was hit by a pitch to start the inning and moved to second base on a Marincov single to short. The two runners advanced a base on a wild pitch. Roberson drove home A. Karmeris with a sacrifice fly to deep center field.
Six runs proved to be more than enough as Westwood completed the complete game shutout.
North Florida and Lipscomb conclude the three-game Atlantic Sun Conference series with the rubber match on Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. at Dusty Rhodes Field at Harmon Stadium. Live stats, live audio, ASun.TV and in-game Tweets (@UNFOspreys) will be available for the game.
