Boxscore
 
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Tied 3-3 in the bottom of the fourth inning with two outs and a pair of runners on base, the University of North Florida baseball team and Northern Kentucky were forced to halt the game and sit through a two hour weather delay. When the game was resumed, Corey Bass broke the tie with a three-run home run and the Ospreys never looked back as UNF completed the three-game sweep over NKU with a 12-4 victory on Sunday afternoon at Dusty Rhodes Field at Harmon Stadium.
 
North Florida trailed 3-0 after a half an inning of play before scoring 12 unanswered runs in the third, fourth, fifth and sixth innings. Northern Kentucky plated a run in the top of the ninth, but UNF closed out the game to secure the eight-run victory and preserve the sweep.
 
The three-game sweep is the fourth in the Smoke Laval Era for the Ospreys and the second of the 2013 season. North Florida swept Lafayette earlier this season (W, 7-5; W, 7-1; W, 7-1) at Harmon Stadium. The sweep was the first Atlantic Sun Conference sweep since 2011 for the Ospreys. North Florida swept Belmont in a three-game conference series at Harmon Stadium (W, 5-4; W, 22-2; W, 17-9).
 
Offensively, the Ospreys scored 12 runs on 17 hits, including a home run by Bass and doubles by Nick Karmeris and Kyle Brooks. Donnie Dewees finished the game with a team-best three hits, while Joe Wielbruda, Tyler Marincov, Drew Weeks, N. Karmeris, Brooks and Bass each finished the day with two hits apiece. Bass and Weeks led the team with three runs batted in each and Marincov closed out the game with a team-high three runs scored.
 
On the mound, Michael Renner earned his sixth win of the season. The senior allowed three runs – two earned runs – in 7.0 innings of work. He scattered five hits and a walk, while walking two. After surrendering three runs, Renner retired the next 10 batters he faced. He surrendered a walk to lead off the top of the fifth, but used a double play to record his fourth consecutive 1-2-3 inning of the game. After the first inning, Renner faced just one batter over the minimum, recording five 1-2-3 innings over the next six frames.
 
Kyle Westwood tossed a perfect inning in relief. The hurler faced the minimum in 1.0 inning with a strikeout. Marshal Rosenberger worked the final inning. The senior allowed a run on no hits, but four walks. Rosenberger induced a game-ending double play to secure the victory for the Ospreys.
 
Northern Kentucky began the scoring, plating three runs in the top of the first inning. The leadoff batter reached on a fielding error by the Ospreys, but was thrown out trying to steal by Bass. With two outs, the Norse used a pair of bloop singles to right field to put runners on the corners. NKU's Cody Kuzniczci doubled to left center field to score both runners and give the visitors a 2-0 lead. On the play, Kuzniczci advanced to third on a throwing error by UNF. The next batter put NKU up by three with a RBI single through the right side of the infield.
 
North Florida chipped into the lead in the bottom of the third inning. With one out, Brooks doubled to left field to put a runner in scoring position for the Ospreys. He advanced to third on an infield single by Bass. Wielbruda drove in the first run of the game for the Ospreys as the senior hit a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Brooks from third.
 
The Ospreys took control of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning. Marincov and Dewees started off the inning with back-to-back singles to give North Florida runners at the corners with no outs. Dewees advanced into scoring position on a wild pitch. Marincov came home on a RBI groundout. Weeks scored Dewees with a RBI single through the left side, tying the game at 3-3. Northern Kentucky was able to record the second out of the inning as the Norse was able to catch Weeks trying to steal. N. Karmeris continued the inning with a single through the left side. Brooks followed with a single through the right side. With two runners on base and two outs, the teams were made to clear the field as inclement weather postponed play.
 
The tarp was pulled onto the field and weather delay ended up lasting two hours and one minute officially.
 
The Norse elected to change pitchers during the weather delay. Bass drove a 0-1 pitch over the left field fence to give the Ospreys their first lead of the game at 6-3.
 
North Florida added to its advantage with four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. With one out, Marincov singled up the middle. Dewees and Ryan Roberson both walked to load the bases. Weeks singled to left field to score Marincov and Dewees. N. Karmeris continued the scoring with a two-RBI double down the right field line, increasing the advantage to 10-3.
 
In the sixth inning, the Ospreys scored a pair of insurance runs. Wielbruda led off the inning with a single and advanced to second on a wild pitch. The senior advanced to within 90 feet of home on a groundout. Marincov walked on four pitches and moved into scoring position on the second wild pitch of the inning. With runners on second and third, Dewees delivered a two-RBI single up the middle to give the Ospreys a 12-3 lead.
 
Northern Kentucky scored a run without the benefit of a base hit in the top of the ninth. With one out, the Norse used four consecutive walks to score a run and cut the deficit to 12-4. The Ospreys ended the game with a double play to secure the series sweep.
 
North Florida returns to action next weekend as the Ospreys take on their longest rival Kennesaw State in a three-game A-Sun Conference series at Harmon Stadium. Live stats, live video, live audio and in-game tweets (@OspreyBSB) will be available throughout the series.