Boxscore

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The University of North Florida baseball used a balanced attack on the field to post a 9-1 victory over Kennesaw State at Dusty Rhodes Field at Harmon Stadium to even the Atlantic Sun Conference series. The Ospreys (28-12, 10-4 A-Sun) belted nine hits, turned a season-high four double plays and received an eight-inning effort on the mound from Nick Allbritton to claim the win over the Owls (21-20, 9-8 A-Sun).
 
Allbritton picked up his third victory of the season, working a career-high 8.0 innings on the day. The senior scattered nine hits with eight singles. Allbritton allowed just one run on the day and did not allow a walk. The hurler struck out three batters and used excellent defense to post four 1-2-3 innings on the day.
 
Ryan McMahon closed out the day for the Ospreys, tossing a perfect ninth inning to secure the win.
 
Offensively, the Ospreys scored nine runs on a dozen hits. Eight of the nine batters in the starting lineup recorded at least one hit with three batters notching multiple hits in the game. Joe Wielbruda led the team with three hits, while Kyle Brooks and Nick Karmeris each had a pair of hits apiece. N. Karmeris led the team with a pair of RBI and he tied Donnie Dewees with two runs scored to pace the Ospreys. Tyler Marincov, Brooks and Dewees each recorded extra-base hits on the day with a double apiece.
 
North Florida was the first team to scratch the scoreboard, jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Wielbruda led off the inning with a single to the shortstop and advanced to second on a throwing error by Kennesaw State. Paul Karmeris followed with a single. On the play, P. Karmeris was able to advance to second on a throwing error by the Owls. The error allowed Wielbruda to score, giving the Ospreys an early 1-0 lead. P. Karmeris advanced to third on a fly ball and came in to score on a sacrifice fly by Dewees.
 
Kennesaw State chipped into the lead with a run in the top of the second inning. The Owls placed runners on the corners thanks to back-to-back singles to lead off the inning. With one out, KSU scored a run on a RBI groundout. Allbritton closed out the inning with a strikeout to keep the score 2-1 in the Ospreys' favor.
 
The Ospreys broke the game open in the bottom of the fourth inning scoring five runs on five hits and a pair of errors by the Owls to take a 7-1 lead. Marincov led off the inning with a double to right center field. Dewees followed with a walk to give UNF a pair of base runners. With one out, Drew Weeks singled to left field, scoring Marincov. Dewees and Weeks successfully executed a double steal and on the play, Kennesaw State threw the ball away allowing Dewees to score. N. Karmeris followed with a RBI single through the left side of the infield to score Weeks. Brooks continued the inning with a bunt single down the third base line. With runners on first and second, Bass singled through the left side of the infield to plate N. Karmeris. Wielbruda reached base on a fielder's choice that erased Brooks at third. P. Karmeris, the ninth batter of the inning, reached base on a fielding error by Kennesaw State that allowed bass to score and put the Ospreys up by six runs.
 
North Florida added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Dewees led off the inning with a double to right center field. Dewees advanced to third on a groundout. With two outs, N. Karmeris singled through the right side of the infield to score Dewees. Brooks scored N. Karmeris with a RBI double to right center field, giving UNF a 9-1 advantage.
 
Neither team was able to score in the final four innings of play. Kennesaw State started the sixth inning with a single, but North Florida turned a double play and induced a fly ball for a 1-2-3 inning. In the KSU seventh, the Ospreys turned another double play – the fourth of the game for UNF – to keep the Owls off of the scoreboard. With one out in the eighth, North Florida allowed a double, but Allbritton and McMahon combined to retire the next five batters in order and secure the victory.
 
North Florida and Kennesaw State conclude the series with the rubber match on Sunday afternoon at Dusty Rhodes Field at Harmon Stadium. First pitch is slated for 1:00 p.m. Live stats, live audio, live video and in-game Tweets (@OspreyBSB) will be available throughout the game.