#20 FAU Edges Ospreys in Pitching Duel

Tuesday, February 25

Jacksonville, Fla.

6 p.m.

University of North Florida

4-3

Florida Atlantic

6-2

Fla. Atlantic

North Florida

Photo by: Dave Schofield

2/25/2014 9:06:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Box Score (PDF)
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Four Florida Atlantic pitchers combined for a three-hitter, helping the Owls to a 2-1 victory over the North Florida this evening. The Ospreys drop to 4-3 on the season while the 20^th-ranked Owls improve to 6-2.

Runs were at a premium for both teams but a two-run top of the fifth inning was all the Owls' pitching staff needed to earn the team's sixth victory of the year. The quartet of pitchers combined for 11 strikeouts on the night, the most of any UNF opponent this year. Starting pitcher Sean Labsan tossed the first three innings of scoreless ball for the Owls and surrendered only one hit. Reily Monkman was credited with his first win of the season after throwing the next three innings in relief. He also struck out three batters and allowed the only two other hits of the game.

The scoring commenced in top of the fifth on some textbook baseball by the visitors. The first two batters of the inning reached base and head coach John McCormack elected to sacrifice bunt, moving both runners into scoring position. Left-handed swinging, Brendon Sanger pulled a ball to the second base side that enabled Robert Buckley to score on the RBI groundout. CJ Chatham, who moved to third on the play scored on a wild pitch and put the Owls up 2-0.

After two of the first three batters for UNF reached in the bottom of the sixth it looked like the Ospreys were poised for a big inning. Peyton Walsh led the inning off with a double but was caught at home two batters later trying to advance on a slow ground ball to the right side of the mound. With two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning, the Ospreys were able to push across their only run of the ball game. An attempted double steal went awry for FAU as the Levi Meyer's throw ended up in center field that allowed Donnie Dewees to score all the way from second.

The FAU bullpen took over from there and didn't allow a base runner for the rest of the game. Kevin Alexander came in the ninth inning and retired the Ospreys in order for his third save of the season.

Making his second start of the year, UNF right-hander Corbin Olmstead pitched four scoreless innings until allowing two in the fifth. He was efficient, striking out five batters and walking none in five innings of work.

Freshman Tyler DuPont was the latest Osprey reliever to put together a solid performance. He pitched 3.2 innings in relief, allowed three hits and no runs.

The Owls came into the game winners of their last two games. FAU is ranked 20^th in the country in Perfect Game USA's Top 25 poll. The Ospreys are 0-2 this season against ranked opponents and now trail in the all-time series with FAU, 3-2.

Tomorrow's game against FAU has been moved up to 1:30 p.m. in anticipation of inclement weather in the Jacksonville area. Check www.unfospreys.com for the very latest on tomorrow's game or follow @OspreyBSB on twitter for up to the minute news on UNF baseball.