Boxscore
 
MACON, Ga. – The University of North Florida baseball team surrendered a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the first inning and were unable to recover, falling to Mercer, 12-1, on Saturday night at Claude Smith Field. The rubber match between to the two teams is slated for 1:00 p.m. on Sunday afternoon.
 
On the mound, Kyle Westwood was charged with the loss. The junior went 4.0 innings, allowing eight hits. Westwood was charged with six runs with four earned runs. He struck out five batters, but issued three walks. Westwood was relieved by Spencer Herrmann. The freshman worked the next 2.0 innings surrendering a pair of runs on three hits. He did not issue a walk and struck out two batters. Jamie Cardwell tossed a scoreless inning. Trey Ferrano allowed four runs on four hits, including a pair of home runs. He walked a batter and struck out two before giving way to Ryan McMahon. McMahon induced a fly ball out to the only batter he faced.
 
Offensively, the Ospreys could not get into a groove. Despite hitting the ball well, the team managed just a pair of base hits, as the Bears' defense excelled in the game. Tyler Marincov hit a solo home run for the Ospreys, while T.J. Gavlik added an infield single. Corey Bass and Paul Karmeris each drew walks in the game. Alex Bacon was hit by a pitch and Drew Weeks reached on an error to round out the base runners for UNF.
 
Marincov's home run was his team-leading ninth of the season and the 14th of the sophomore's career. His 14 home runs ties Marincov with Kevin Martin (2007-10) for seventh most in North Florida's Division I history.
 
Mercer was the first team to scratch the scoreboard, plating a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the first inning. With one out, the Bears placed the first runner of the game on first base with the help of a North Florida fielding error. Mercer used a single to place a pair of runners on base. After a strikeout, the Ospreys were charged with a balk, moving the runners into scoring position. Mercer took the early lead with a two-RBI single to left center field. UNF induced a fly ball to left field to end the inning, but trailed 2-0 after one inning.
 
North Florida chipped into the lead in the top of the fourth inning. Marincov led off the inning with a solo home run to left center field. The home run was the outfielder's team-leading ninth of the season and cut the Mercer advantage to 2-1.
 
The Bears increased their lead with three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Westwood struck out the first batter of the inning and induced a groundout to short for the first two outs of the inning. The next battered doubled to right center field and came around to score on a RBI single up the middle. Mercer's Nick Backlund had the big hit of the inning, lifting the first pitch he saw over the right field line to push the lead to 5-1 after four complete.
 
MU added three runs in bottom of the fifth inning. After a leadoff walk, the Ospreys went to the bullpen and brought in Herrmann to pitch. The Bears used a single and a sacrifice bunt to place a pair of base runners in scoring position. The next batter hit a sharp grounder towards a diving Gavlik. The senior made the stab and threw home to try to retire the lead runner, but the home plate umpire called the runner safe on the bang-bang play. The two runners on base advanced on a wild pitch and the two came around to score on a single through the right side of the infield.
 
UNF tried to cut into the Bears lead in the top of the sixth inning. With two outs, Marincov swung at the first pitch he saw and drove the ball to the deepest part of Claude Smith Field. The Mercer center fielder, Derrick Workman, timed his jump perfectly to rob Marincov of his potential second home run of the game.
 
Mercer added four insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. The Bears' Austin Barrett hit a three-run home run to right center field to push the home team's advantage to 11-1. After back-to-back strikeouts, Derrick Workman hit a solo home run to right field to give Mercer a 12-1 lead the Bears would not relinquish.
 
North Florida and Mercer conclude the three-game Atlantic Sun Conference weekend with a single game on Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. at Claude Smith Field. Live stats and in-game Tweets (@UNFOspreys) will be available throughout the game.