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University of North Florida Athletics

Head coach Smoke Laval stands in front of the Osprey dugout during a game
Todd Drexler
9
Winner Dallas Baptist DBU 14-8
5
North Florida UNF 16-9
Winner
Dallas Baptist DBU
14-8
9
Final
5
North Florida UNF
16-9
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Dallas Baptist DBU 0 1 0 0 2 0 2 0 4 9 18 1
North Florida UNF 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 5 16 2

W: Kechely, Kragen (1-0) L: Howze, Austin (2-2) S: Elledge, Seth (5)

Next Game:

Dallas Baptist

3/26/2017 | 12:00 p.m.

Next Game

Full Schedule
Mar. 26 (Sun) / 12:00 p.m.
 Dallas Baptist
History

Game Recap: Baseball | | Jim Moyes

Ospreys Drop Game 2 of Series vs Dallas Baptist, 9-5

Final Score: Dallas Baptist 9, North Florida  5
Location: Harmon Stadium (Jacksonville, Fla.)
Records: UNF 16-9 | Dallas Baptist 14-8
WP: Kragen Kecheley (1-0) LP: Austin Howze  (2-2) | Save: Seth Elledge (5)

THE SHORT STORY
Dallas Baptist evened the weekend series at one game apiece by topping North Florida, 9-5, in a hit-fest at Harmon Stadium. The visiting Patriots scored 4 runs after two outs in their half of the ninth inning to turn a one run lead into a commanding five run advantage.

The two teams combined for 34 hits on a breezy afternoon with a number of players from each team producing multi-hit performances.  With both teams deadlocked at 3 runs apiece thru 6 innings of play, Dallas Baptist outscored the host Ospreys 6-2 over the final 3 frames to earn the win and improve their record to 14-8.

Dallas Baptist coach Dan Heefner, with his Patriots holding a 5-3 lead in the eighth inning, called upon his pre-season All-American closer Seth Elledge for a six out save in their quest to even the weekend set.  The Ospreys were able to touch up Elledge for a ninth inning run but the four runs tallied by DBU in the top of the inning proved too much to overcome.

HOW IT HAPPENED
- After a scoreless first frame the Patriots tallied a solo run in the top of the second inning, but it surely would have been worse for UNF if not for a sensational catch by Osprey right fielder Yahir Gurrola. With runners at the corners after consecutive singles from Garrett Wolforth and Luke Bandy, Evan Sandmann's blast to deep right center field was good for only a sacrifice fly RBI thanks to Gurrola's fielding gem.

- The Osprey's quickly regained the lead with three runs scored in their half of the second inning, but it could have been more except for Sandmann's rifle like throw from right field that gunned down the Osprey's speedy Wes Weeks attempting to go from first to third on Dalton Board's single to right field. Unfazed, the Ospreys got a double from Christian Diaz, a single from Gurrola that scored Board, followed by yet another sharp single from Chris Thibideau that knocked Patriot starting pitcher Trevor Conn from the mound.  Coby Weaver, the first of four Baptist pitchers used in the relief,  induced a pop fly out from Chris Berry, but Alex Merritt looped a single to center field to score Gurrola for the 3rd run of the inning.

- Dallas Baptist tied up the contest at 3-3 with a pair of runs in their half of the fifth inning.  Jameson Hannah laced a double into left center to begin the Patriot rally.  UNF starter Frank German struck out Tim Millard before issuing a walk to Austin Listi and a single to Matt Duce that loaded the bases. Switch hitting catcher Garrett Wolforth than drew a hard earned walk to score the Patriots first run of the inning that chased German from the mound after his pitch count crossed the century mark.  Austin Howze, in relief of German, gave up an RBI single to Bandy but then stopped the bleeding by retiring the next two batters and leaving the bases loaded.

-DBU hitters manufactured a pair of runs in the top of the seventh inning to take a lead they would not relinquish.  With runners at the corners and one out, Camden Duzeneck executed a squeeze play bunt that scored one run.  Camryn Williams' single drove in the innings second run as Howze was relieved by Tyler Dupont.

- The Ospreys narrowed the margin to 5-4 after a run in the home half of the 8th. Weeks began the inning with a base hit.  Joe Boyle then hit a ground ball that was headed for right field but a great play by Duzeneck at second base turned an apparent hit into the first out of the inning.  Diaz hit a high bounder to Duzeneck that turned into a hit and moved Weeks to third where he would eventually score on a ground ball RBI out by Gurrola.

- Dupont was seemingly sailing along after hurling a scoreless eighth and retiring the first two Patriot batters in the ninth inning.  But with two outs and nobody on base the DBU bats came alive.  Following a Duzeneck single, Williams hit the only home run of the entire game giving the visitors a pair of insurance runs.  Dupont was roughed up for three more consecutive hits and two more runs as Dallas Baptist extended their lead to five runs.

- The solo run tallied by the Ospreys off of Elledge made the final score 9-5 and sets up tomorrow's game to determine the series winner.

PARTING SHOTS 
- Christian Diaz, with four hits in the game improved his average by 43 points, moving from a pre game .197 mark to a current average of .240.
- Although on a number of at bats during the contest Osprey hitters worked the count to 3-0, Patriot pitchers only surrendered one free pass in the entire game.
- After committing four errors in their opening game loss to UNF on Friday, the Patriot's tightened up their defense and played error free baseball until they committed a two out throwing error in the ninth inning
- Diaz paced the Osprey 16 hit attack with his 4 base hits while Thibideau and Alex Merritt notched 3 safeties and Chris Berry continued his hot hitting with a pair of hits. Gurrola also extended his current hit streak to eight games.
- Although Patriot shortstop Tim Millard struck out in the fifth inning, he more than made up for that out as he had a career high five-hit game

WHATS NEXT
- The two teams will conclude this exciting three game series with the final game Sunday with the first pitch scheduled at Noon.
 
 
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Players Mentioned

Chris Berry

#21 Chris Berry

UTL
6' 0"
Sophomore
L/R
Dalton Board

#6 Dalton Board

OF
5' 11"
Sophomore
L/L
Christian Diaz

#28 Christian Diaz

1B
6' 1"
Redshirt Senior
R/R
Frank German

#1 Frank German

RHP
6' 2"
Sophomore
R/R
Austin Howze

#19 Austin Howze

RHP
6' 1"
Redshirt Senior
R/R
Alex Merritt

#4 Alex Merritt

INF
6' 1"
Senior
R-R
Chris Thibideau

#15 Chris Thibideau

UTL
6' 0"
Senior
R/R
Joe Boyle

#10 Joe Boyle

IF
6' 1"
Junior
R/R
Yahir Gurrola

#20 Yahir Gurrola

OF
6' 0"
Junior
R/R

Players Mentioned

Chris Berry

#21 Chris Berry

6' 0"
Sophomore
L/R
UTL
Dalton Board

#6 Dalton Board

5' 11"
Sophomore
L/L
OF
Christian Diaz

#28 Christian Diaz

6' 1"
Redshirt Senior
R/R
1B
Frank German

#1 Frank German

6' 2"
Sophomore
R/R
RHP
Austin Howze

#19 Austin Howze

6' 1"
Redshirt Senior
R/R
RHP
Alex Merritt

#4 Alex Merritt

6' 1"
Senior
R-R
INF
Chris Thibideau

#15 Chris Thibideau

6' 0"
Senior
R/R
UTL
Joe Boyle

#10 Joe Boyle

6' 1"
Junior
R/R
IF
Yahir Gurrola

#20 Yahir Gurrola

6' 0"
Junior
R/R
OF