Baseball | 2/16/2017 11:00:00 AM
Jacksonville -- The college baseball season opens up this Friday when the North Florida Ospreys host the Radford University Highlanders in the first game of a three-game series. First pitch for Friday's opener is scheduled for 6:00 PM at Harmon Stadium.
Series Information:
- Friday - February 17 6:00 PM vs. Radford
- Saturday - February 18 1:00 PM vs. Radford
- Sunday - February 19 2:00 PM vs. Radford
Live stats Link (all three games)
Pitching Matchups:
Friday
UNF: Austin Drury (6-1, 4.02 ERA, 71.2 IP, 24 BB, 48 SO)
RAD: Zack Ridgely (4-6, 3.34 ERA, 97.0 IP, 23 BB, 69 SO)
Saturday
UNF: Brad Depperman (0-0, 10.64 ERA, 11.0 IP, 4 BB, 8 SO)
RAD: Danny Hrbek (0-0, Did not pitch)
Sunday
UNF: Frank German (2-4, 4.36 ERA, 33.0 IP, 13 BB, 22 SO)
RAD: Ryan Sande (3-0, 3.38 ERA, 32.0 IP, 13 BB, 15 SO)
*All Stats from 2016 Season
SEASON STORY LINES
Yet another close race is forecast in the highly competitive Atlantic Sun Conference baseball race in 2016. Although the Ospreys won a league best 39 wins, and placed but one game out of second place last season, the 2017 UNF Ospreys are predicted to again play a brides maids roll in 2016. League prognosticators have pegged Lipscomb to cop the league title this season with Kennesaw State tabbed to finish third, one vote less than the Ospreys.
Big Shoes to Fill
The Ospreys this year are taking the road of 'reloading' as opposed to 'rebuilding', despite the loss of a number of highly talented players from last years winning club. Corbin Olmstead, Keith Skinner, Bryan Baker, Nick Karmeris, Daniel Moritz, Kyle Brooks, and Dakota Higdon will be difficult to replace, but Coach Smoke Laval and his veteran coaching staff are more than hopeful that the cupboard is not bare at Harmon Stadium.
Plugging in the Holes
Although seven valuable Ospreys were officially lost through graduation, one could count Olmstead twice, as the two way star worked his magic over the years for the Ospreys, not only with his bat, but with his arm. A two-time All American, Olmstead left the program as the all time home run king in UNF history as well as a top notch closer.
Perhaps getting the first call to replace Olmstead in the DH role will be Christian Diaz. While Diaz was on the Osprey roster into early April last year, he pounded the ball at a .322 clip while displaying considerable power with 4 home runs and 22 rbis in only 78 at bats.
It will be no easy task to fill the vacancy created by the loss of Skinner, the ASUN's leading hitter in 2016 and a 7th round draft pick of the New York Yankees. Skinner was an ironman performer behind the plate for the Ospreys. A heated battle to replace Skinner has developed in the pre-season as three potential replacements all saw action in the UNF-Alumni game on Saturday.
Middle of the Infield Remake
Kyle Brooks has been a fixture at shortstop of the Ospreys since his freshman year, leaving the program with the most assists in UNF history. Brooks' keystone combination partner for the past three years has been Patrick Ervin, who will move from his second base position over to shortstop. Brooks is not the first slick fielding partner at shortstop over the years for Ervin. While playing for Pace High School in 2012, Ervin helped lead his team to the state championship game where he went a perfect 2-2 at the plate. His teammate at shortstop was current MLB all star shortstop for the World Champion Chicago Cubs, Addison Russell, who went 0-4 in the contest.
Green Cove Springs Connections
The Osprey coaching staff has had the luxury for the last few years to look no farther than Clay County to find their left fielder. And there was clearly one notable trait they all possessed — they could hit! Former Clay County prep star Drew Weeks, currently in the Colorado Rockies organization, led the nation in hitting in 2014 while Dakota Higdon enjoyed a breakout season last year, hitting a robust .328 for the Ospreys. Another Clay Co Blue Devil, as well as another Weeks, appears to have locked down the left field spot this season. If Saturday's Alumni game is a preview of what one could expect out of Wes Weeks, then all is well in the left field pasture on Dusty Rhodes Field. Drew's younger brother Wes blasted a couple of rare triples against the alumni and showed blazing speed while quickly rounding the bases.
New Faces
For the first time in seemingly forever, a Kameris will not be wearing a UNF uniform. Nick Karmeris, last year's starting right fielder was the last of the talented Karmeris brothers. Coach Smoke Laval hopes that he can again strike oil with another JUCO transfer from the state of Texas. A product from the same college that produced current Osprey center fielder, and pre-season All ASUN pick Chris Thibideau, Yahir Gurrola brings a big bat with him from Midland College. In addition to batting a solid .417 at Midland, Guerro flexed his muscles by belting 14 home runs, while establishing single season school records in doubles (29) and RBIs (80).
Pre-season ASUN selectee Alex Merritt, following a breakout season in 2016, will move across the diamond from third base to first base. Tapped to replace Merritt at the hot corner is Joe Boyle, a Junior College transfer from Parkland (IL) College. With Merritt moving to third there appears to be a wide open battle at second base between newcomer Mac Wilson, a former star from Providence High School in Jacksonville and second year Osprey Chris Berry.
Laval is confident he has some much needed depth in his outfield as slender second year Osprey Dalton Board has shown he can be a valuable contributor to Osprey fortunes with his solid defense and flat stroke at the plate that produces numerous line drives.
A Healthier Pitching Staff
When delving into last years statistics, Osprey fans have to be pleased to discover that the 2016 Osprey pitching staff led the entire ASUN in ERA, and WHIP, while also giving up the fewest base on balls over 9 innings than any other conference opponent. However, with the addition of a healthier staff, this years pitching corps shows promise of being even stronger.
Although the Ospreys lost their Friday starter Bryan Baker to the Colorado Rockies, the pitching staff may very well may be the strength of this years UNF nine. Austin Drury returns, along with his sparkling 6-1 record, to take over the Friday night duties. Coach Laval is confident that a healthier Saturday starter Brad Deppelman will revert to the promise he showed out of high school, before injuries the last couple of season limited his effectiveness. Sophomore Frank German has drawn rave reviews during early season workouts from numerous scouting services and is currently scheduled to start on Sundays.
Bull Pen Question Marks
The loss of Olmstead, when the Ospreys are clinging to that precarious lead late in the game will surely be felt, as will the departure of a late bloomer last year out of the bullpen, lefty set up man Daniel Moritz. However, Matthew Naylor, a real workhorse out of the bullpen last year, returns for his senior season as does another proven veteran in Alex Smith. Laval will have at his disposal a number of experienced arms to use at his disposal as needed as well as a few promising newcomers.
Home Sweet Home
Despite an inauspicious 2-4 start to begin 2016, the friendly confines of Harmon Stadium would prove to be more than favorable as the Ospreys went an eye-popping 24-4 the rest of the season to finish among the nation leaders at 26-8.
SERIES NOTES
Opening Day
The Ospreys are 23-6 on opening day including a 14-3 mark at Harmon Field. Under coach Smoke Laval, UNF is 4-2 in season openers.
First Time Starters
For the second year in a row the Ospreys will host a first time opponent in Radford. Three other foes on the schedule will also be facing the Ospreys for the first time. Northeastern will follow Radford to Jacksonville while Rutgers from the Big 10 visits Harmon Stadium for a 4 game series beginning March 10. The Ospreys will travel north on March 14 for a road visit to College of Charleston before reciprocating as the home team on April 4th.
Better Start
The Ospreys fell just one game shy of reaching the 40 win mark for the third time in the past four seasons. One needs to only look back at the slow start to begin the 2016 season as the big reason they failed to reach the rare goal of a 40 win season. The Ospreys began the campaign dropping 5 of their first 8 games, with all 5 losses maddeningly decided by a single run.
Tracking the Radford Highlanders
One should not be misled with the Highlanders modest won-loss record from the 2016 season. Playing in the same league that surprised the entire baseball nation, it was it was the Big South's Coastal Carolina powerhouse that was standing on the top of the winner's podium in Omaha last June.
Radford had the misfortune to open their conference tourney against Coastal Carolina and nearly ruined Coastal's cinderella story by almost upsetting the NCAA champs in the first round of the tournament. Radford bounced back to win their next two tourney games before being eliminated in the league's semifinal.
So strong was the Highlanders schedule from last year that they also played a two game series with the 2015 NCAA champs from Vanderbilt.
Notes: Radford in recent season's has sent 7 of their formers diamond stars into professional baseball, including Eddie Butler who posted a perfect 3-0 record in 2016 while hurling for the Colorado Rockies.
Leading the returnees from last year's Highlanders squad is Friday night's starter Zach Ridgely. The hard throwing left handed pitcher was 3rd in the voting for player of the year honors in the Big South. The junior from Baltimore fanned 69 batters while walking but 23 batters in nearly 100 innings of work, posting an impressive low ERA of 3.24.
Among the six returning starters for the Highlander is All Big South honoree Danny Hyrbek who will carry over a robust .329 batting average into Friday's opener vs. the Ospreys.
