Big Innings Aid Mercer in Doubleheader Sweep over #BSB

Sunday, March 30

Macon, Ga.

12 p.m.

University of North Florida

14-13, 5-3

Mercer

21-7, 6-2

North Florida

Mercer

3/30/2014 6:31:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Game 1 Box Score (PDF)
Game 2 Box Score (PDF)
MACON, Ga. – The North Florida baseball team dropped both games of a Sunday doubleheader against Mercer (22-7, 7-2 Atlantic Sun) this afternoon. The Bears won today's first game, 11-4 and took the nightcap, 6-3.

The Ospreys who took the series opener last night, even their overall record to 14-14 on the season and drop to 5-4 in Atlantic Sun play. North Florida surrendered a pair of middle inning leads and the Bears came from behind to win both games of the twinbill.

Junior Trent Higginbothem was clutch the entire series for North Florida, compiling six hits and five RBIs in the three games. All five of his RBIs came with two outs including a home run on Saturday night. Drew Weeks and Corbin Olmstead each racked up three hits, two runs and two RBIs on the afternoon.

Game 1
Mercer scored nine runs in their final three turns at the plate to take the middle game of the three-game series. The Ospreys had a 3-2 lead going into the top of the sixth inning but it was short lived as the Bears posted five runs in the bottom half of the frame.

The big blow came off the bat Chesney Young with two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth. He ripped a double into the gap of left center field that cleared the bases and put Mercer up 6-3. The Bears added one more run in the frame and never looked back.

Dimitri Kourtis came on in relief of Mercer starting pitcher, Grant Papelian to earn the victory. He pitched 3.1 innings out of the bullpen and struck out three batters in his first win of the season.

Just as they did yesterday, the Bears got on the scoreboard first on a two-out, RBI single by Charlie Madden in the bottom of the second. They made it a two-run ball game in the bottom of the third on a double by Derrick Workman that scored Michael Massi.

The Ospreys posted their first run in the top of the fourth on an RBI triple by Drew Weeks. The three-bagger was the sixth of his career, which is the second most in the UNF Division I era and 10^th all-time.

North Florida rallied for two runs in the top of the sixth to take a 3-2 lead. Higginbothem lined a fastball into left center, plating Olmstead and tying the game at two. Ty Kelly came up with his second RBI in as many games, with a single to right to give the Ospreys their only lead of the contest.

Game 2
The big inning proved to be the difference again in the nightcap. The Ospreys took a 3-2 lead in the top of the fifth on Higginbothem's fifth RBI of the series. The Bears responded with four runs in the bottom half of the inning, giving the Mercer starter Eric Nyquist a big enough cushion for the victory.

Unlike the previous two ball games, North Florida grabbed the game's initial lead, jumping out to a 2-0 advantage in top of the third. Olmstead doubled in Ferguson who reached on an error earlier in the game for the Ospreys' first run. After a wild pitch, Olmstead scored on an infield single by Weeks.

Just as they did all afternoon, the Bears fought back in the bottom of the fourth with two runs, tying the game at two. Derrick Workman brought two runners home on an RBI single with only one out in the frame.

Nyquist went the distance for the Bears, in his first complete game of the season. He pitched all seven innings, struck out two batters and allowed only two earned runs.

The Ospreys will open up a four-game home stand on Tuesday night when they host the University of Central Florida at 6:00 p.m. The non-conference tilt is the only mid-week game for North Florida before hosting Jacksonville for a three game set beginning on Friday.