Box Score (PDF)
ATHENS, Ga. – Alex Bacon led off the bottom of the 12^th inning with a solo home run to propel the Ospreys to a 4-3 victory over Buffalo (7-3) this afternoon in the final day of the Georgia Bulldog Classic. Senior Tyler Moore took a no-hitter into the ninth inning, striking out five in the Ospreys' sixth win of the season.
 
The unusually long dimensions of Foley Field were unable to hold Bacon's lead-off homer in the bottom of the 12^th. He drilled a fastball that cleared the 350' mark down the left field line throwing the Osprey bench into a frenzy. The home run was the second of the series and third of the season for Bacon.
 
Moore was the story of the game through the first eight innings. Making his second start of the season and facing a formidable Bull offense, he retired the first 17 Buffalo batters in order before allowing the first runner in the top of the sixth inning by virtue of a walk. Moore cruised through eight innings, inducing three ground outs and forcing a total of 15 fly ball outs off the bats of the Bulls.
 
The potent Buffalo offense finally broke through in the top of the ninth inning. A lead-off single through the middle ended Moore's no-hit bid and forced the right-hander out of the game after 105 pitches. The Bulls loaded the bases but Osprey reliever Nick Miller got two-consecutive infield pop ups. One out away from a North Florida victory, Buffalo's Thomas Richards hit a sharp ground ball that ricocheted off Miller's foot and bounced all the way into right field allowing two runs to score.
 
With the score tied and still two outs, the Bulls again came up with a big hit this time off the bat of Vinny Mallaro. A single up the middle scored the go-ahead run and completed an improbable ninth inning comeback. In all, Buffalo sent nine batters to the plate after not getting a runner past first in the previous eight turns at the plate.
 
The Osprey offense wasn't ready to spoil a terrific outing by Moore. Junior Drew Weeks led off the bottom of the ninth with a double down the left field line. He was moved over to third on deep fly out to right field for the innings first out. Corbin Olmstead then came up and delivered the game-tying sacrifice fly to center. The RBI was the first of the season for the two-way sophomore.
 
The first two runs of the game were unearned and came in the top of the fourth inning. Kyle Brooks led off the inning with an infield single and the next batter, Alex Merritt, reached on an error. A sacrifice bunt put two runners in scoring position for Drew Weeks who grounded out to second, scoring Brooks. With two outs, another error by the Bulls on a misplayed fly ball allowed Merritt to score from third.
 
Senior Ryan McMahon came on in relief and recorded the final two outs of the ninth to hold the game tied at three. He pitched the final three innings, struck out two and earned his first win of the season. He came up with a huge, two-out strikeout in the top half of the 12^th, stranding a Buffalo runner on third.
 
Bacon finished the day with a game-high three hits. Lead-off man Kyle Brooks continued his hot hitting, going 2-for-4 with a run scored. He has a hit in each of the last four games for the Ospreys.
 
The Ospreys will play the final game of a seven-game road trip on Tuesday when they travel to Statesboro, Ga. for a matchup with Georgia Southern. The two teams have met each of the last four years with the Ospreys taking seven of the last eight games in the all-time series.