Box Score (PDF)DeLAND, Fla. – Another quality start on the mound by
Evan Incinelli paired with a big offensive night, powered North Florida (33-13, 9-4 A-Sun) to an 11-6, series opening victory over Stetson (24-23, 8-5) this evening.
Osprey senior
Evan Incinelli was about as efficient as a starting pitcher can be, tossing 77 pitches in seven innings. Incinelli limited Stetson to just four hits on a career-night for the right-hander. He retired the final eight batters he faced and improved to 4-3 on the year. In four of his seven starts this season, he has pitched six or more innings
Outfielder
Donnie Dewees provided the offensive firepower with a perfect, 4-for-4 night. He extended his hitting streak to 22 games with a home run in his first plate appearance. Dewees scored his 67
th and 68
th runs which are the most scored by any player in Division I baseball this season.
Already with a 4-1 lead after five innings, the Ospreys scored seven unanswered runs including five in the top of the seventh. Stetson reliever Josh Thorne walked the final two batters he faced to load the bases in the seventh. Pinch-hitter
Alex Bacon recorded his 199
th career hit with a single through the left side that scored two.
Kyle Brooks and Dewees added RBI hits and helped the Ospreys open an 11-1 advantage.
The Hatters racked up eight hits and scored five runs on the Osprey bullpen over the final two innings but the late inning rallies were too little, too late.
Dewees wasted little time giving the Ospreys the initial lead, lifting his 14
th home run over the batter's eye in straightaway center field in the top of the first inning. The solo shot was the fourth time this year he has hit a home run in the first inning.
The Ospreys made the game 4-0 in the third thanks to a two-out, bases-clearing double by
Ryan Roberson that bounced off the wall in right center field. Roberson finished the night 3-for-5 with three RBIs. The red-shirt senior is currently ranked third in the Atlantic Sun with career-high, 49 RBIs.
Sophomore
Patrick Ervin had busy night at second base with eight assists. He strung together seven of them in a row between the sixth and eighth innings on ground balls induced by Incinielli. At the plate, Ervin was 1-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI.
Garrick Ferguson scored three times and was one of the three Ospreys with a multiple-hit night. He finished 2-for-4 and drove in a run.
The second game of the three-game set with Stetson will be tomorrow night at 6:30 p.m. at Melching Field. The Ospreys will send
Bryan Baker (4-2) to the mound and he will be opposed by the league's leader in wins, right-hander, Brooks Wilson (8-3).