Box Score (PDF)
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Redshirt junior
Tyler DuPont turned in a gem on the mound as North Florida (23-14, 4-4 A-Sun) captured the middle game against Stetson (17-17, 1-4 A-Sun), 5-3, clinching the Atlantic Sun series. The Ospreys have now won six consecutive games against the Hatters and will go for the series sweep Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m.
DuPont turned in one of the best performances of his career and struck out a career-high, eight batters. He pitched into the eighth inning for the fourth time in his career and issued only one walk on the afternoon. The lefthander kept the Hatters off the scoreboard for the first seven innings before a three-run rally in the eighth. He struck out the side in the fourth and allowed only three hits through his first seven innings pitched. He earned his third win of the season and the 11th of his career, the eighth most in the Ospreys D-1 era (2006-present).
The Osprey offense got to work early for the second-straight game, this time with a three-run, second inning. Freshman
Chris Berry kicked off the Osprey scoring with his first collegiate triple that scored both
Keith Skinner and
Nick Karmeris. The freshman came around to score on the next batter,
Kyle Brooks' RBI chopper over the third baseman's head. North Florida has scored six runs between the first and second innings of the series.
Senior
Keith Skinner continued his torrent hitting pace in A-Sun play with his fifth, three-hit game of the season. He scored two of the Ospreys five runs and plated the fifth North Florida final run of the game with an RBI single to center field in the bottom of the seventh. He is now hitting .533 (16-for-30) with eight runs scored in eight Atlantic Sun games this season.
Every player in North Florida lineup recorded a hit as the Ospreys peppered the Hatter pitching staff for 13 base knocks. Seniors
Nick Karmeris and
Dakota Higdon each put forth multiple-hit efforts, by going 2-for-4 with a run scored. When racking up 10 or more hits in a game, the Ospreys are 18-3 this season.
All three of the Hatter runs came in the eighth, two off the bat of Cory Reid who punched a two-out, two-RBI single through the right side. Designated hitter Matt Morales singled home Stetson's first run in the eighth and was the last batter DuPont faced.
Olmstead recorded the final four outs for the Ospreys in a non-save situation. He struck out two of the six batters he faced. At the plate, Olmstead went 1-for-4, extending his reached base streak to 30 games, the longest active streak in the league.
The Ospreys will go for their second weekend series sweep of the season and second-straight against the Hatters on Sunday. The game will feature a pitching matchup of first-year starters. Lefthander
Austin Drury (2-1) will get the nod for North Florida while the Hatters will send Logan Gilbert (2-0) to the hill.
