Box Score (PDF)JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A two-run rally in the fifth inning helped the Ospreys to a 5-3, series clinching victory over the University of Pennsylvania (0-2) on Saturday. Shortstop
Kyle Brooks recorded his 572
nd career assist, breaking the program's all-time record.
Brooks scored two runs and finished the 2-for-4 at the plate. In the top of the 7
th inning the shortstop knocked down a tough hop, collected himself, and threw out Penn's Matt McGeah at first base. He surpassed Matt Oxendine (2003-06) as the school's all-time leader.
The Ospreys squandered a 2-0 lead and fell behind 3-2 in the top of the fifth inning. In the bottom half of the frame North Florida responded with two runs to take the lead for good. With two outs, catcher
Keith Skinner continued his hot hitting and tied the game up on an RBI double that hopped over the first base bag. A batter later,
Nick Karmeris gave the Ospreys the lead with a single through the left side that scored
Patrick Ervin.
Skinner finished the day 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI. He now is batting .474 (18-for-38) and is second on the team with 10 RBIs.
The North Florida pitching staff was impressive for the second straight day and struck out 14 batters. In two games against Penn, the Ospreys have struck out 30, including a D-1 era record, 16 in Friday night's contest.
Starting pitcher
Tyler DuPont fanned five before exiting in the fifth inning. He allowed three runs and eight hits in 4.2 innings of work. Reliever
Matthew Naylor made his A-Sun leading seventh appearance and struck out five in three innings to earn his first win of the season. Olmstead recorded the four-out save and struck out four of the five batters he faced.
Olmstead was also key for the Ospreys again at the plate, spotting the North Florida a 1-0 lead after the first inning. With two outs, he singled home Brooks for the first run of the day. In the seventh, he brought Brooks home again, this time on an RBI ground to give North Florida a 5-3 advantage. The two-way player finished the day 2-for-3 with two RBIs and an intentional walk. He now leads the Ospreys with 11 RBIs this season.
The Ospreys will go for the series sweep on Sunday, their first of the young 2016 season. North Florida will send junior right-hander
Anthony Delaney (0-1) to the mound and he will be opposed by Penn lefty, Gabe Kleiman.