Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

University of North Florida Athletics

BaseballTeam
9
Winner Fla. Gulf Coast FGCU 13-13-1, 1-0 A-Sun
7
North Florida UNF 19-10, 0-1 A-Sun
Winner
Fla. Gulf Coast FGCU
13-13-1, 1-0 A-Sun
9
Final
7
North Florida UNF
19-10, 0-1 A-Sun
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Fla. Gulf Coast FGCU 0 1 3 2 1 0 0 2 0 9 11 0
North Florida UNF 2 0 0 0 0 4 0 1 0 7 12 1

W: MURRAY, Michael (3-3) L: Moore, Tyler (1-3) S: KOERNER, Sterling (1)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Five HRs Not Enough for @OspreyBSB in A-Sun Opener

Box Score (PDF)
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Despite tying a Division I era single-game record with five home runs this evening, North Florida (19-10, 0-1 A-Sun) dropped its Atlantic Sun opener, 9-7 to Florida Gulf Coast University (13-13-1, 1-0 A-Sun).
 
It marked the fifth time that North Florida hit five home runs in a game in the Division I era (2006-present) and was the first time since 2011. All the long balls were solo shots and the Ospreys hit back-to-back homers twice, once in the first and again in the sixth.
 
With the score 7-6 going into the eighth inning, the Eagles put a damper on a late Osprey charge with two runs in the top of the eighth inning to make it a three-run ball game. At the plate FGCU was clutch all night as seven of their nine runs scored came with two outs.
 
Redshirt sophomore Donnie Dewees and Trent Higginbothem started the game off with a bang. Dewees, the second North Florida batter of the game, went to the opposite field for his Atlantic Sun leading, eighth homer of the year. The next pitch thrown by FGCU starter Michael Murray, Higginbothem sent over the left field wall to give the Ospreys a quick, 2-0 lead.
 
Murray slowed the momentum of the Ospreys down over the next four innings, tactfully spacing time in between pitches. The reigning Atlantic Sun Conference Pitcher of the Year, allowed for the Eagle offense to get going and they responded with seven unanswered runs over its next four trips to the plate.
 
Trailing 7-2 going into the bottom of the sixth inning, Ryan Roberson ignited a four-run rally to pull the Ospreys within a run. He hit a towering shot to right field to lead off the frame. The next batter, junior Nick Karmeris, left the yard in a hurry with a line drive over the right field wall for his third of the season. Later in the inning, Kyle Brooks beat out an infield single that would spell the end for Murray's night and make the score 7-5. Patrick Ervin then scored on a wild pitch thrown by reliever Devin Smeltzer to pull North Florida within a run.
 
Junior Corbin Olmstead, who came on in relief in the top half of the eighth, hit the fifth Osprey homer of the night to start the home half of the inning. Trailing by two runs, the Ospreys grounded into a double play in the eighth to stall the rally and left a runner on second in the ninth.
 
Eagle reliever Sterling Koerner pitched 3.1 innings of relief and earned his first save of the season. The sophomore made only one big mistake, the home run to Olmstead. He walked one and struck out one in his 11th appearance of the year.
 
The Ospreys, who came into the weekend ranked third in the country in hits, collected 12 more, outhitting the Eagles in the game. Ervin finished the night, 3-for-4 with a runs scored while his middle infield cohort, Brooks also put together a multiple hit game.
 
Murray was charged with a career-high six runs but was able to earn his third win of the season. He walked two, struck out three and gave up four of the Ospreys five home runs.
 
For the second straight appearance, Dan VanSickle worked a scoreless inning. He retired all three batters he faced in the ninth inning.
 
The series continues tomorrow afternoon at Harmon Stadium at 1:00 p.m. Lefty Tyler DuPont will get the start on the mound for the Ospreys and will be opposed by right-hander Brady Anderson.
 
Print Friendly Version