Box Score (PDF)JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Quinnipiac (6-8) starting pitcher Thomas Jankins shut down the high-powered North Florida offense, tossing eight innings in a 3-0 series opening victory. The loss snaps a season-high five-game win streak for the Ospreys as they fall to 11-9 on the year.
Jankins struck out seven batters and stranded nine Osprey base runners in the process. He scattered seven hits and walked only one for his second victory of the season. It was the first time in six games the Osprey offense was held under 10 hits and is their second-lowest hit total of the year.
The Ospreys had an ace of their own on the hill as junior
Bryan Baker pitched seven innings and allowed three runs on seven hits. Baker struck out five batters and retired the last nine batters he faced. The right-hander did not issue a walk and has not done so in his last 15.2 innings pitched. It was the second-straight start he pitched seven-plus innings and now has struck out five or more batters in all five of his starts this season.
The three Bobcat runs came in consecutive innings beginning in the third. Two runs crossed with two outs in the third on back-to-back RBI singles by Louis Ionotti and Robert Pescitelli. Quinnipiac added a run in the third on Ryan Nelson's first home run of the season. Five different Bobcats are responsible for the team's five home runs this season.
Alex Merritt was responsible for two of the Ospreys seven hits on the night, going 2-for-4. Senior
Corbin Olmstead extended his hit streak to 13 games with a single in the bottom of the eighth inning. Classmate
Kyle Brooks' single in the bottom of the sixth moved his reached base streak to 14 games.
The shutout was first by an Osprey opponent since the regular season finale of 2014 at Kennesaw State, a span of 83 games.
Reliever
Adam Polansky worked the final two innings for the Ospreys and sat down all six batters he faced. He has not allowed a run is last four appearances (5.0 IP).
The middle game of the three game series is scheduled for tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. The Ospreys will send lefty
Tyler DuPont (1-0) to the mound where he will be opposed by right-hander Robbie Hitt (0-2).