Gators Hold Off Late Charging @OspreyBSB in Rematch

Wednesday, March 9

Gainesville, Fla.

7:00 p.m.

University of North Florida

6-8

Florida

14-1

North Florida

Florida

Photo by: Morgan Purvis

3/9/2016 11:32:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: Scott Fitzgerald, Athletic Communications

Box Score (PDF)
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Despite two rallies late in the game by North Florida (6-8), the top-ranked Florida Gators (14-1) held on for a 5-4 victory in the culmination of the mid-week series between the two schools.

The Ospreys scored two runs in the top of the eighth inning to pull within a run. North Florida had the tying run on third base in both the eighth and the ninth innings but were unable to knot the game up against the Gator bullpen.

Senior Corbin Olmstead doubled down the right field line in the eighth to score Kyle Brooks and made the score, 5-3. He finished the game 3-for-4 with two RBIs. A batter later, Christian Diaz made it a one-run game with an RBI ground out to third base.

Brooks, the nearby Alachua, Fla. native, scored twice in the contest and finished the night 2-for-5. He led the game off with a single through the left side and later crossed the plate on a two-out RBI single from Nick Karmeris. Brooks batted .380 (8-for-21) with six runs scored in five career games against the Gators.

The 1-0 Osprey lead after the top of the first was short-lived as the Gators put three runs on the board in the bottom half of the frame. All three runs scored on a bases loaded, Mike Rivera triple with two outs. The line drive in the left center field gap just tipped off the glove of the speedy Osprey center fielder Chris Thibideau.

A Mark Kolozsvary home run in the second inning paired with J.J. Schwarz RBI infield single in the seventh gave the Gators just enough to outscore the Ospreys.

North Florida out-hit the Gators 10-7 with all but two Ospreys recording a hit. Senior Dakota Higdon was one of three Ospreys with two or more hits, going 2-for-4, raising his season average to .317.

Four different Ospreys toed the rubber including redshirt junior Alex Smith who made his 2016 debut. The right-hander pitched two scoreless innings of relief and didn't allow a hit in the 37-pitch effort. Senior Adam Polansky faced the final five Gators of the game and also did not allow a hit.

The Florida pitching staff produced another quality start, this time from righty, Jackson Kowar. He allowed two runs on four hits in six innings of work. The freshman struck out four batters and improved to 2-0 on the season.

For the seventh time this season, North Florida is on the short end of a one-run game. Seven of the eight Osprey losses have come by just one run. The Ospreys fall to 6-10 all-time against the Gators and 1-4 against No. 1 ranked opponents.

The Ospreys will have an off day Thursday before they host a three-game series with UNC Wilmington beginning Friday. First pitch in Friday's series opener is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.