Game Notes (PDF)DeLAND, Fla. - After an eight-day layoff North Florida (32-13, 8-4 A-Sun) will back in action this weekend when they travel to Stetson (24-22, 8-4 A-Sun) in a battle for first place in the Atlantic Sun. The crucial three-game series will feature a pair of 6:30 p.m. starts on Friday and Saturday followed by a 1:00 p.m. first pitch in the series finale on Sunday.
Probable Starting PitchersFriday
UNF- RHP
Evan Incinelli (3-3, 3.54 ERA, 40.2 IP, 9 BB, 25 SO)
vs.
STET - RHP Mitchell Jordan (4-1, 3.13 ERA, 46.0 IP, 11 BB, 41 SO)
Saturday
UNF- RHP
Bryan Baker (4-2, 4.15 ERA, 43.1 IP, 27 BB, 31 SO)
vs.
STET- RHP Brooks Wilson (8-3, 4.06 ERA, 64.1 IP, 19 BB, 47 SO)
Sunday
UNF- RHP
Matt Vaka (2-0, 1.62 ERA, 33.1 IP, 12 BB, 11 SO)
vs.
STET- RHP Walker Sheller (2-7, 4.50 ERA, 48.0 IP, 14 BB, 34 SO)
Last Time Out: Before sitting idle this past weekend, the Ospreys picked up a pair of road midweek wins, one against No. 24 UCF last Tuesday and another against The Citadel on Wednesday. In both games North Florida fell behind early in both used six-run rallies to lead them to victory. Against UCF the Ospreys trailed, 3-1 going into the sixth until a six-run outburst in the top half of the inning propelled them to a 9-3 triumph. The Ospreys scored eight unanswered runs over the final three innings. The Ospreys erased an early deficit against The Citadel with a six-run third inning and held off the Bulldogs who scored five runs in the last three frames, for a 9-8 win.
Success vs. Ranked Opponents: The 9-3 upset of No. 24 UCF on April 21 was the second in three seasons over a ranked opponent for the Ospreys. The last win over a ranked foe was a 7-6 extra-inning, win No. 29 Florida on Feb. 26 2013. The Ospreys have 14 wins over nationally-ranked opponents since 2006.
National Recognition: For the third consecutive week, the Ospreys received votes in a national poll. The National Collegiate Baseball Writers of America had them as one of 25 teams to get votes outside the top 30. North Florida also ranked No. 62 in the latest NCAA RPI, the highest of any A-Sun Team.
Seeing Green: Trent Higginbothem &
Corbin Olmstead feasted against Stetson pitching in last year's series with the Hatters. The duo combined to go 14-for-28 (.500) with five home runs and 18 RBIs in just three games. Olmstead cracked two home runs in the series opener and
Higginbothem was later named Atlantic Sun Player of the Week after batting .571 with 10 RBIs.
Single Season Run Record: Outfielder
Donnie Dewees, the nation's leading runs scorer, broke the program's D-1 single season run record against The Citadel on Wednesday with his 65 run scored. He surpassed former teammate, Tyler Marincov's record of 64 set back in 2013. Dewees now has his sights on the all-division, school record of 78 held by Kyle Catrett set in 2000.
200-Hit Club: Senior
Alex Bacon is looking to become the eighth member of the
North Florida 200-hit club. He is just two hits shy of the historic number. Right behind him is red-shirt senior
Ryan Roberson who has 190 career hits as an Osprey. Former teammate and current professional baseball player in the Colorado Rockies organization
Drew Weeks became a member of the club last season and totaled 203 hits in three seasons.
Against Stetson All-Time: The Ospreys took two out of three against Stetson in last year's series at Harmon Stadium. North Florida scored 30 runs in three games and dropped game two despite posting nine runs. Stetson has won 16 of the 37 meetings all-time but North Florida has taken three of the last four contests against the Hatters.
Scouting Stetson: The Hatters have won three of the four Atlantic Sun series they've played thus far including a sweep of defending Atlantic Sun Champion, Kennesaw State in early April. Stetson comes into the weekend winners of three of its last four games including a 17-0 rout of Bethune-Cookman on Wednesday night. Right-hander Brooks Wilson leads the league with eight wins in nine starts and will get the nod on Saturday. At the plate, Stetson is second in the A-Sun in runs (287) and hits (460) behind the Ospreys. Vince Vizcaino leads a quartet of .300 Stetson hitters with a team best .350 batting average and 64 hits.
| | |
| Location | DeLand, Fla. | Jacksonville, Fla. |
| Founded | 1883 | 1965 |
| Enrollment | 3,900 | 16,357 |
| Nickname | Hatters | Ospreys |
| Conference | Atlantic Sun | Atlantic Sun |
| 2015 Record | 24-22 (8-4 A-Sun) | 32-13 (8-4 A-Sun) |
| Stetson | North Florida |
| Avg. | .290 | .303 |
| Runs | 233 | 300 |
| Hits | 355 | 423 |
| 2B | 70 | 74 |
| 3B | 8 | 14 |
| HR | 14 | 37 |
| RBI | 203 | 270 |
| BB | 158 | 146 |
| ERA | 4.50 | 3.95 |
| SO | 262 | 268 |
| BB | 145 | 132 |
| FLD % | .962 | .983 |
