@OspreyBSB Suffers First Loss of A-Sun Tourney to Lipscomb

Friday, May 22

Fort Myers, Fla.

11:00 a.m.

University of North Florida

44-15

Lipscomb

38-18

Lipscomb

North Florida

5/22/2015 2:31:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Box Score (PDF)
FORT MYERS, Fla. – Behind a complete game, five-hitter from Brady Puckett, Lipscomb (38-18) upstaged top-seeded North Florida (44-15), 2-1 on day three of the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament. North Florida will face the winner of Stetson and FGCU Friday night at 7:00 p.m.

Facing a North Florida offense that has produced 22 runs and 28 hits in the first two days of the tournament, the freshman Puckett was unfazed. He threw 99 pitches, allowed only one run and vaulted his team into the A-Sun Championship Game tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. A 2015 Atlantic Sun All-Freshman Team selection and winning pitcher of Lipscomb's upset victory over No. 1 Vanderbilt earlier this year, Puckett improved to 7-2 on the season.

Lipscomb's version of small ball was on full display, as eight bunts were laid down by Bison batters, four that went for sacrifices. No one was more important that the successful safety squeeze play executed by the nine-hitter, Hunter Hanks in the top of the fourth inning. His perfectly placed bunt down the first base line scored Tyson Ashcraft from third for the eventual game-deciding run.

One of the Ospreys five hits came off the bat of 2015 Atlantic Sun Conference Player of the year, Donnie Dewees. He tripled to lead off the bottom of the fourth inning and scored on Trent Higginbothem's league-leading eighth sacrifice fly of the season. Dewees' triple was the eighth of the season, breaking the single season program record for triples.

Lipscomb set the tone early, grabbing a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on an RBI single by Jonathan Allison. The two-out hit scored Grant Massey who hustled out a double in the at bat prior. Massey was one of three Bisons to collect two hits in the contest.

Puckett won the battle of freshman right-handers, outdueling first-year Osprey Matt Vaka. The loss was the first of the season for Vaka, who pitched 3.1 innings and allowed both Lipscomb runs. Coming into the game North Florida was 10-2 in game which Vaka starts.

The Ospreys got another impressive relief outing from Matthew Naylor. The sidearmer pitched five innings and allowed only three hits. He kept the Bisons off the scoreboard and lowered his league-leading ERA to 1.76.

Friday night's game will be a win or go home situation for North Florida and the road to the 2015 Atlantic Sun Conference Championship will need to paved by a pair of wins over Lipscomb on Saturday. Each game will be available on ESPN3 or the WachESPN app.