Boxscore
 
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The University of North Florida baseball team used a balanced pitching and hitting performance to record a 10-4 victory over Mercer on Saturday afternoon at Dusty Rhodes Field at Harmon Stadium. The win evens the series with the rubber match set for Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m.
 
On the mound, senior Nick Allbritton posted his best performance of the season en route to the victory. The right hander worked a career-best 7.1 innings, allowing four runs on six hits. Allbritton walked just one batter while striking out a career-high seven. After surrendering a pair of runs in the top of the first inning, Allbritton retired 14 consecutive batters – the most by an Osprey pitcher this season. The 14 consecutive batters retired topped the previous high of 13 set by Allbritton on March 13 against Jacksonville State. The hurler posted four consecutive 1-2-3 innings on the afternoon.
 
Allbritton gave way to closer Corbin Olmstead. The true freshman tossed the final 1.2 innings allowing no runs on one hit. He struck out three batters to secure his team-best fourth save of the season.
 
Offensively, North Florida pounded out 18 hits. The Ospreys recorded just one base hit on the day, but were able to string together timely hits to score 10 runs. All nine batters in the UNF lineup recorded at least one hit with seven batters notching multiple hits. Donnie Dewees and Drew Weeks each had three hits apiece, while Tyler Marincov, Ryan Roberson, Olmstead, Kyle Brooks and Corey Bass added a pair of hits each. Weeks posted the only extra-base hit of the game for the Ospreys, tripling to score a pair of runs. Roberson, Weeks and Paul Karmeris each drove in a pair of runs, while Olmstead and Weeks both scored two runs.
 
Mercer was the first team to scratch the scoreboard, plating a pair of runs in the top of the first inning. The Bears started the game with a single and a hit batter for a pair of base runners. The runners moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt. Mercer's Nick Backlund doubled down the right field line to give the Bears an early 2-0 advantage. Allbritton induced a line out and a ground out to end the inning and begin his run of 14 consecutive base runners retired.
 
North Florida responded in the bottom of the second inning, taking the lead with three runs on four hits. With one out, Roberson singled to the shortstop and Olmstead followed with a single to third base. Weeks tied the game with a two-RBI triple down the right field line. With a runner on third, Kyle Brooks gave the Ospreys their first lead of the series with a RBI single to right field.
 
The Ospreys added three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to increase the advantage to 6-2. Olmstead led off the inning with a single up the middle. Weeks followed with a single through the left side of the infield. Brooks moved the runners up a base with a successful sacrifice bunt. After a pitching change, Bass singled to right field to score Olmstead from third. With runners on the corners, Joe Wielbruda singled through the left side of the infield to plate Weeks. P. Karmeris extended the inning with an RBI single to third base to give UNF a four-run advantage.
 
The Bears tried to rally in the top of the eighth inning. With one out, Mercer used a base hit to place a runner on first base. MU's Derrick Workman hit a two-run home run to right field to trim the Ospreys' lead to 6-4. Olmstead entered the game to pitch, ending the inning with a strikeout.
 
The Ospreys put the game out of reach with four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. Weeks led off the inning with an infield single to short. Brooks bunted for a single down the first base line and Bass loaded the bases with a single to right center field. Wielbruda reached on a fielder's choice that erased the lead runner. With one out, P. Karmeris drove in Brooks with a RBI walk. With two outs, Dewees singled to score Bass. Roberson continued the inning and the scoring with a two-RBI single up the middle, giving the Ospreys a 10-4 advantage.
 
The Ospreys allowed a base runner in the top of the ninth inning, but Olmstead secured the victory with a pair of strikeouts.
 
North Florida and Mercer conclude the series with the rubber match on Sunday afternoon at Harmon Stadium. First pitch is slated for 1:00 p.m. Live stats, live audio and in-game tweets (@OspreyBSB) will be available throughout the game.