Box Score (PDF)JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Hartford (3-0) completed the three-game series sweep, edging North Florida baseball, 3-2 in Sunday's series finale. The Hawks did all their offensive damage with two outs sending the Ospreys to 3-5 on the season.
The game-deciding hit for Hartford came in the top of the sixth inning when T.J. Ward laced a double to left field with two outs that scored both Erik Ostberg and David MacKinnon. The double was the second of the series for Ward and broke a 1-1 tie.
Up until that point Osprey starting pitcher
Anthony Delaney was in a groove. Beginning in the second inning he sat down 10-consecutive batters. He exited in the sixth after two of the first three batters reached base. He struck out five batters and walked only one batter in 5.1 innings pitched.
Hartford received yet another quality start from its starting pitcher, this time from senior Brian Murphy. The right-hander sat down the first seven batters he faced and didn't surrender a hit until the fourth inning. He threw 96 pitches in 7.1 innings pitched. He allowed only five hits on the afternoon and struck out three.
North Florida senior
Nick Karmeris unloaded on a first-pitch fastball in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game up at one. It was his second long ball of the season and he finished the day going 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.
Things nearly unraveled for Hartford in the bottom of the ninth inning. Justin Cashman came on for the save attempt and proceeded to walk the first two batters,
Alex Merritt and
Dakota Higdon, to start the frame. Head Coach Justin Blood went back to his bullpen and brought in Sam McKay. The righty served up a perfect double play ball up the middle and put the Hawks within an out of a victory.
Junior
Patrick Ervin cut the Hartford lead in half with an RBI single through the right side that scored Merritt. With the tying run on first base, McKay induced a game-ending ground out to preserve the victory and his recorded his first save of the year.
All five of North Florida's losses in 2016 have been by one run.
The Ospreys are in the midst of an eight-game home stand and will be at Harmon Stadium on Wednesday night to take on cross-town rival Jacksonville University in the second annual Mayor's Cup. First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.
