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University of North Florida Athletics

Blake Marabell makes a throw in from the outfield.
Mackenzie Brown
Marabell collected nine total bases but also made a stellar play crashing into the wall in left.
8
Florida Gulf Coast FGCU 14-8, 1-2 ASUN
14
Winner North Florida UNF 16-10, 2-1 ASUN
Florida Gulf Coast FGCU
14-8, 1-2 ASUN
8
Final
14
North Florida UNF
16-10, 2-1 ASUN
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Florida Gulf Coast FGCU 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 5 0 8 8 0
North Florida UNF 1 1 0 0 0 4 1 7 X 14 20 0

W: Norkus, Trace (2-0) L: McGarry, Hunter (2-1)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Seven-Run Eighth Lifts Baseball to Wild Win Against FGCU, 14-8

Ospreys Pound Out a Season High 14 Runs and 20 Hits

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The eighth inning was as long as it was thrilling Sunday. After each team traded haymakers, UNF emerged with a 14-8 lead out of a frame that saw a combined 12 runs. All told the Ospreys (16-10, 2-1 ASUN) unloaded for a season high 14 runs on 20 hits to take the rubber match of the ASUN-opening series with FGCU (14-8, 1-2 ASUN) March 24, at Harmon Stadium.

UNF 14, FGCU 8

Pitchers of Record
Win: Trace Norkus (2-0)
Loss: Hunter McGarry (2-1)

Line Scores
FGCU | 8 R, 8 H, 0 E, 5 LOB
UNF | 14 R, 20 H, 0 E, 14 LOB

Behind the Line Score
  • Tanner Murphy led off UNF's first with a ringing single to left on a hanging curve. Jay Prather went down swinging before Murphy swiped second on a 1-0 pitch to Tanner Clark. One pitch later Clark dropped an RBI single into right center, scoring Murphy.
  • Nick Marchese evaded a potential big inning in the second. After runners got on first and second, the senior retired the first out on a sac bunt. Marchese got the second out with a backwards "K" and Tanner May made a nice play up the middle to close out FGCU.
  • Wes Weeks drove one through the wind for a double to right center. Alex Reynolds coaxed a walk and David Maberry got on top of a pitch, poking it through the left side to score Weeks for a 2-0 lead.
  • Opportunity slipped away in UNF's third. Clark singled to right and May tagged a double to right center, putting runners at second and third. Berry went down swinging before Weeks drew a walk, sending FGCU to the pen. Lefty Trey Vickery got Reynolds to fly to left, ending the frame.
  • Vickery slipped away from another bags-packed jam in the fifth, getting Maberry to fan on 3-2 fastball at the letters.
  • FGCU got on the board with one in the sixth. Marc Coffers opened with a single to left. Alex Brait lined to Marabell in left before Jay Hayes lined his own base hit up the middle. Kohl Gilmore drove in Coffers with a line drive single over Prather into right.
  • FGCU couldn't get out of the sixth unscathed though. Chris Berry made the third FGCU pitcher of the inning pay on a 2-1 delivery, scoring Murphy and Marabell with a two-RBI single to center. Weeks kept the inning going with a walk and Reynolds delivered his own two-RBI single to right, widening the lead to 6-1.
  • Elijah Eusebio pinch hit for Christian Proffitt after an Eric Gonzalez double. The big right-handed hitter went down to get a curveball and lifted a two-run home to left, cutting the Eagles' deficit to 6-3 in the seventh.
  • Marabell hit a tape-measure home run to left in the bottom of the seventh, giving UNF a 7-3 lead.
  • FGCU took the lead in the eighth highlighted by Eusebio's grand slam to left. Hayes walked, Kinker fanned and Gilmore stroked a one-hopper off the mound that caromed off a diving Prather and into center. Richie Garcia was plunked by an errant curveball, loading the bases for Eric Gonzalez. Logan Clayton got Gonzalez to foul out to Reynolds, but Anthony Gonella took a fastball off his lower half, scoring Hayes. Eusebio followed with a big fly to left, putting FGCU ahead, 8-7.
  • FGCU scored five, but UNF scored seven in the eighth. Marabell's career day continued in the eighth, vaulting UNF back ahead of FGCU, 9-8. The junior hooked a two-RBI double inside the third base bag, scoring Weeks and Berry. Murphy delivered a three-run home run just below the scoreboard in left. Berry made it a two-hit inning with an RBI single into right, and one batter later a sharp grounder from Weeks took a bad hop before reaching Gonzalez at short, bouncing into center to plate May.
  • Norkus put FGCU down in order in the ninth.

Statistical Leaders
UNF
  • Marabell | 4-for-5, 3 R, 3 RBI, 2 2B, HR
  • Clark | 3-for-5, R, RBI, BB
  • Berry | 3-for-5, 2 R, 3 RBI, BB
  • Weeks | 3-for-3, 2 R, RBI, 3 BB
  • Marchese | 6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K

FGCU
  • Gilmore | 3-for-4, R, RBI
  • Elijah Eusebio | 2-for-2, 2 R, 6 RBI

Notes
  • Murphy has 27 career stolen bases. He needs eight more to pass Tyler Marincov (2011-13) for the most in UNF Division I history.
  • Weeks reached six times.
  • 14 runs is the most for UNF in a single game since scoring 16 at FGCU May 6 of last season.
  • Another "last time" performance came against FGCU. UNF's last 20-hit game came against FGCU April 23, 2017.
  • Marchese tied a career-high with 6.0 innings pitched. The senior has spun three consecutive quality starts, allowing just three earned runs over his last 17.1 innings pitched.
  • Miller's miraculous streak without allowing an earned run came to an end at 19.0 innings.
  • All nine UNF starters notched a hit.
  • FGCU used nine pitchers, the most hurlers used by an opponent UNF has faced this year.
  • The two teams combined for seven home runs this series, with FGCU hitting five of them.
  • This is UNF's second game to pass the four-hour mark this year.
  • Marabell was a triple shy of the cycle.
  • UNF has won five straight Sunday matchups with FGCU.
  • UNF tied a season high for runners left on.
  • Berry needs 11 more walks to become the school leader in free passes in its Division I history.
  • UNF also set season highs for:
    • At bats (42)
    • RBI (14)
    • Total bases (30)
Up Next
UNF goes to UCF Wednesday, March 27. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.
 
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