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University of North Florida Athletics

Diaz batting
Megan Fitzgerald
5
Bradley BRAD 5-11
9
Winner North Florida UNF 14-6
Bradley BRAD
5-11
5
Final
9
North Florida UNF
14-6
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Bradley BRAD 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 1 5 15 3
North Florida UNF 2 1 2 1 2 0 1 0 X 9 13 2

W: German, Frank (4-0) L: Olson, Ben (1-2)

Game Recap: Baseball | | Jim Moyes

Baseball Takes Second Straight Over Bradley, 9-5


Final Score: North Florida 9, Bradley 5
Location: Harmon Stadium (Jacksonville, Fla.)
Records: UNF 14-6 | Bradley 5-11
WP: Frank German (4-0) LP: Ben Olson  (1-2) | Save: None
Final Boxscore PDF

THE SHORT STORY
North Florida clinched the series with the visiting Bradley Braves following a 9-5 victory Saturday at Harmon Stadium.  Frank German pitched 7 scoreless innings to earn his 4th victory without a defeat while offensively the Ospreys tallied runs in each of their first five at-bats to secure their 14th win of the season.

Bradley hitters were more than happy to see German depart after his seven innings of work. The visitors from Peoria, Illinois put a mild scare into the Ospreys by scoring five runs in the final two innings before Austin Howze came on in relief to record the final out leaving two runners stranded on base.

UNF has yet to lose a season series thus far in 2017 as the streaking Ospreys have now won three games in a row and 12 of their last 14.  

HOW IT HAPPENED
- North Florida jumped into an early 2-0 lead in the opening inning on lead off base hits from Yahir Gurrola, and Patrick Ervin.  Chris Thibideau's long single off the left field fence brought home Gurrola.  Alex Merritt's sacrifice bunt moved Ervin and Thibideau into scoring position.  Wes Weeks then did his job but hitting a sacrifice to right field deep enough to score Ervin.

- The Osprey's took advantage of some sloppy Bradley fielding to add a solo run in the second frame.  Christian Diaz's fly ball to left was lost in the bright sun, falling safely for a double. Joe Boyle's ground ball to third was misplayed by the Brave's third baseman for an error with Diaz staying at second base.  Yet another perfectly placed sacrifice bunt, this time by Rey Gonzalez, led to the Osprey run when Gurrola's ground ball fielder's choice plated Diaz.

- Diaz blasted a 2-run home run that sailed well over the 400 foot sign in dead centerfield, scoring Alex Merritt (single) to boost the Osprey lead to 5-0 after three innings were in the books.

- Thibideau upped the Osprey lead to 6-0 in the fourth inning with another long home run that sailed over the center field fence.

- The Ospreys kept the offensive pressure on with a pair of runs in their half of inning number five.  A walk to Boyle and a pair of bloop singles from Gonzalez and Ervin accounted for the first run of the inning.  Following a walk to Thibideau, Bradley went to the bullpen and brought in Isaac Lueth to pitch to Merritt with the bases loaded. Merritt's deep fly ball to left field nearly cleared the bases for a grand slam, but the long out did count as an RBI sacrifice fly for Merritt.

- Gurrola pushed the Osprey margin out to a seemingly secure 9-0 when he crossed home plate in the seventh inning courtesy of a Bradley wild pitch.

- German's night was done and Bradley's hitters came alive in the final two innings to make the final outcome less than easy for Osprey fans.  Bradley hitters touched UNF relievers Eddie Miller and Alex Smith for four runs on six hits to make the scoreboard read 9-5.

- Bradley refused to put up the white flag in the ninth inning.  With one out, two straight Brave base hits drove Smith from the mound as coach Smoke Laval called on Austin Howze to put out the fire.  After Howze gave up the third hit of the inning to Brendon Daugherty, he was able to retire the next two Bradley hitters to preserve the victory.

ODDS AND ENDS
- Ace Osprey hurler Frank German was able to find his groove after throwing 45 pitches, while stranding five base runners in his first two innings of work.  Over his next five innings on the mound, German limited his tosses to a manageable 51 pitches thrown as he lowered his ERA on the season to a minuscule 0.72.

- Christian Diaz found his Saturday role as the designated hitter to his liking by having a monster day for the Ospreys.  Diaz had three hits on the afternoon with all of his hits going for extra bases with two doubles and a home run.

- The Ospreys were grinders on the afternoon as they scored in their first five at bats before they were finally held scoreless in the sixth inning.

- When UNF second baseman Chris Berry was called out on strikes in the third inning, it marked the first strike out in more than 11 innings by a Bradley pitcher in the series.

- In addition to the three hit game from Diaz, Gurrola, Ervin, Thibideau and Merritt also had multi-hit games for the victors collecting two hits apiece.

WHAT'S NEXT
North Florida will again host Bradley in the final game of the three game series Sunday with the first pitch scheduled for a 12 Noon start. 
 
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