JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - UNF scored five in the fourth, FAU (3-6) answered with six in the seventh, but when the dust settled the Ospreys (7-3) emerged out of the rain drops with a 9-8 win Wednesday, February 27 at Harmon Stadium.
UNF 9, FAU 8
Pitchers of Record:
Win:
Trace Norkus (1-0)
Loss: Vince Coletti (0-2)
Save:
Eddie Miller (3)
Line Scores:
FAU | 8 R, 14 H, 2 E, 10 LOB
UNF | 9 R, 15 H, E, 14 LOB
Behind the Line Score
- Six of the nine innings saw at least one run scored, beginning in the bottom of the second when Austin Hurwitz put UNF up, 1-0, with an RBI single to right field.
- FAU's Eric Rivera quickly evened it up with a solo home run to left in the bottom of the third.
- UNF blew the game open with five runs in the fourth on five hits and one error. Alex Reynolds and Blake Marabell went back-to-back with doubles down the left field line, making it 2-1.
- Hurwitz rolled over on a grounder to first that was misplayed, plating Marabell. A strikeout, single, fly out and hit batter loaded up the bases before back-to-back singles from Tanner May and David Maberry scored three more.
- The combination of Hunter Bowling and Will Ohme kept FAU at bay until their monster seventh inning. The Owls did their damage after loading the bases with two outs. A hit batsmen, walk and three consecutive singles vaulted FAU ahead, 7-6.
- UNF turned in their own two-out magic in the eighth. Maberry legged out a chopper in the hole at short before Reynolds, Maberry and Hurwitz all drew walks to tie the game at seven.
- Wes Weeks redeemed a slow start to the day with the clutch game-winning two-RBI single flared over second base, scoring Marabell and pinch runner Alex Hendricks. The redshirt-senior provided the hit on a 3-2 offering.
- Norkus permitted a solo home run to left before being replaced by Miller with one out in the ninth. The southpaw got a backwards "K" followed by a swinging punchout to close out the game.
Statistical Leaders:
UNF
- Prather, May, Maberry | 2-for-4
- Weeks and Maberry | 2 RBI
- Bowling | 3.0 IP, 4 K
FAU
- Urbaez | 3-for-5, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR
- Rivera | 1-for-4, HR
- Johnson | 3-for-5, R, RBI
- Jon Jon Kostantis | 2.1 IP, H, BB, 4 K
Notes
- The two teams combined for 29 hits, the most combined hits thus far.
- Miller leads the league in saves with three. Norkus picked up his first win of the year Wednesday, but he also has two saves, good for second in the league.
- Miller has yet to allow an earned run through five appearances.
- Batters one through six generated 20 of UNF's 26 hits over the last two games.
Coach Parenton's Comments:
"I thought we played well early, but in the middle I think we got complacent and thought the game was over. But, they made a run and that's what good teams do. Teams from the state of Florida that go to the NCAA Tournament do that a lot, and that's who we usually play in the middle of the week. Our guys found a way to compose ourselves, Norkus went back out there and pitched a couple more innings and got the job done. Offensively we got runners on base and we gave ourselves a chance." -- Head coach
Tim Parenton
Up Next
The Ospreys go to Pensacola this weekend where they'll play Western Kentucky on Friday, Tennessee Saturday afternoon and UL - Monroe on Sunday. All games will be held at Admiral Fetterman Field at Blue Wahoos Stadium as part of the 2019 Cox Diamond Invitational.