DeLAND, Fla. - UNF held a 3-1 lead through five frames, but Stetson scored three two-out runs in the sixth and Hatters reliever Danny Garcia spun three scoreless innings as North Florida saw Stetson slip past, 5-3, in a fast-paced series-opening loss Friday, April 1 in DeLand.

In typical UNF (9-17, 1-6 ASUN) and Stetson (15-10, 3-4 ASUN) baseball fashion, the game spanned a speedy two-hour 16-minute duration. Seven of the last eight meetings between these two teams dating back to last season have been decided in less than two and a half hours.

Isaiah Byars vaulted UNF to a 3-1 lead in the third after tripling home Justin Holmes and scoring on the same play as a throwing error gave him another 90 feet. Stetson got a clutch two-out two-RBI double from Juan Correa in the sixth, tying the game. One batter later, Camden Traficante split the hole on the right side of the infield, scoring Correa for the Hatter lead.

UNF had chances late, getting runners to second and third in the eighth with one away, but Stetson's Nick Durgin and Garcia combined to strand eight UNF runners while not allowing a walk.

Max McKinley was effective on the hill once again, taking the no-decision despite allowing just three earned on four hits and three walks while fanning six. The game-tying double came one batter after he was relieved with two outs in the sixth.

Stetson 5, UNF 3

Pitchers of Record
Win: Nick Durgin (1-1)
Loss: Jason Gonzalez (2-2)
Save: Danny Garcia (1)

Line Scores
UNF | 3R, 9H, E, 8 LOB
Stetson | 5R, 9H, 2E, 8 LOB

Behind the Line Score

• Byars singled, stole second and later scored on Abraham Sequera's RBI single in the first. 
• McKinley ran into trouble in the first as Stetson loaded the bases with nobody out. The righty worked a double play, getting out of the first with just one run allowed. 
• Byars provided the offense again in the third. After Holmes doubled to left, Byars tripled to left center, scoring Holmes before he rounded third and scored himself as the throw to third base went off the mark.
• Both teams missed scoring opportunities until Stetson cashed in during the sixth. With two outs, Stetson singled and walked before Jason Gonzalez came in for McKinley. Correa doubled four pitches later, scoring one while Brandon Hylton crossed the dish as a throw to the plate was not handled. 
• The bottom of the Stetson lineup did damage one batter later as Traficante delivered the go-ahead single.
• UNF got the leadoff runner on in the seventh and eighth, while also seeing the first two batters of the eighth frame reach, but both times UNF came up dry.
• Stetson added one insurance run on a squeeze play in the eighth inning.
• Garcia fanned six in three innings of relief, earning the save.

Statistical Leaders
UNF

• Isaiah Byars | 2-for-5, 2R, 3B, RBI, SB
• Abraham Sequera | 2-for-4, RBI
• Cade Westbrook | 2-for-4
• Justin Holmes | 1-for-4, R, 2B
• Max McKinley | 5.2 IP, 4H, 3R, 3ER

Stetson

• Andrew Estrella | 2-for-4, 2R
• Juan Correa | 2-for-3, R, 2RBI
• Camden Traficante | 2-for-4, RBI
• Nick Durgin | 6.0 IP, 7H, 3R, 2ER, 0 BB, 8K
• Danny Garcia | 3.0 IP, 2H, 0ER, 0BB, 6K

Notes

• UNF's three-game winning streak against the Hatters dating back to last year was snapped.
• Cade Westbrook upped his on-base streak to 14 games.
• McKinley has gone six-straight starts of at least five innings. 
• McKinley has fanned 41 while permitting just nine walks. He fanned six and walked three Friday.
• The righty is also just three strikeouts shy of 100 for his career.
• Byars reached 50 runs scored for his career.
• Byars is now 10-for-10 in stolen base attempts this season.
• Runs four and five for Stetson were scored despite plays at the plate on both.
• The speedy pace of play continued in the head-to-head series. Seven of the last eight games between the two teams have been concluded in less than two and a half hours.
• Gerteisen swiped a career-best two bags.

Up Next
UNF and Stetson meet for game two tomorrow night at 6:30 p.m.