Box Score (PDF)
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – North Florida (29-16, 8-6 A-Sun) turned the tables on Lipscomb (24-22, 8-6 A-Sun) by erasing a five-run deficit with 12 unanswered runs in a 13-6, game two victory. It is the 12^th time this season the Ospreys have won in come-from-behind fashion.
 
Things looked pretty grim as the Bisons built a 6-1 lead over the first four innings. For the second-straight day Lipscomb scored three runs in the first inning. The three runs came on five hits in a first frame that saw eight batters come to the plate. The three-run inning spelled a first-inning exit by Osprey starting pitcher Matt Vaka.
 
The momentum of the game began to shift when the Ospreys pulled within two runs thanks to a two-run home run by Corbin Olmstead in the fifth. His team-leading 10^th home run of the year cleared the right field wall and made the score 6-4. The long ball was the 33^rd of his career, giving him sole possession of third place on the program's all-time home run list.
 
Junior Bubba Olivera got the Ospreys within a run in the sixth with a pinch-hit single up the middle that scored Chris Thibideau. The third pinch-hit of the season for Olivera ended Lipscomb starter Jeffrey Passantino's day.
 
The Ospreys then began an assault on the Lipscomb bullpen, beginning in the seventh inning. Originally attempting to sacrifice bunt with runners on first and second and no outs, Thibideau missed on two attempts but redeemed himself with a double to center field, scoring both Olmstead and Nick Karmeris.
 
North Florida went on to score two more runs in the frame and tacked on four additional runs in the bottom of the eighth. Junior Alex Merritt delivered the crushing blow with a three-run homer in the Ospreys' final turn at the plate. The homer was his fourth of the season.
 
In total the Ospreys racked up 17 hits, one shy of matching their season high. Freshman Chris Berry put together his best game of his young collegiate career, collecting three hits including two doubles. He finished the day 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored.
 
The Osprey bullpen was once again lights out, keeping the Lipscomb off the scoreboard for the final five trips to the plate. Freshman Frank German took over in the fifth inning and went on to pitch 2.2 innings of shutout baseball. Junior Alex Smith was the beneficiary of the late Osprey rallies, registering his third win of the year. He pitched two scoreless innings and allowed only two base runners. Matthew Naylor tossed the final 1.1 innings and struck out two to record his third save of the season.
 
Seven Ospreys recorded multiple-hit efforts including Thibideau who was 2-for-4 with three RBIs and his second triple of the 2016 season. Kyle Brooks and Karmeris each had doubles in the contest as part of the slew of multiple-hit games. Brooks played in his 200^th game of his career, only the seventh player in North Florida history to eclipse the 200 mark.
 
With two home runs in the game, the Ospreys improve to 12-0 when homering two or more times in a game.
 
Defensively, the Ospreys turned two double plays, including a 4-6-3 twin killing to end the game. Skinner continued to cut down base runners behind the plate, throwing out two more runners in the contest. He now has four caught stealings and a pick off in two games against the ninth best running team in the country.
 
For the second-straight weekend the Ospreys will be pitted in a Sunday rubber match. The Ospreys will send freshman lefty Austin Drury (4-1) to the mound and he'll be opposed by right-hander Kyle Kemp. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. at Harmon Stadium.