Ospreys Split Home Run-Filled Twin Bill With FGCU

Friday, May 20

Jacksonville, Fla.

2:05 p.m.

University of North Florida

21-31, 11-17

FGCU

33-21, 16-13

FGCU

North Florida

Sequera swung his way to four home runs in the series and three on Friday.

Photo by: Jeremiah Wilson

5/21/2022 12:47:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

UNF Overcomes 7-2 Deficit to Win Game One Via a Walk-Off Double in 11 Innings

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - If you're a fan of high-powered offense, Friday's regular season finale twin bill was the type of baseball for you as North Florida and FGCU combined for 39 runs, 17 home runs and 54 total hits as the two teams split a twin bill at Harmon Stadium Friday, May 20.

The Ospreys erased a 7-2 deficit in game one, scoring three runs in the ninth to force extras before walking off on the Eagles in 11 innings thanks to an RBI double from Abraham Sequera as part of the infielder's memorable day.

Sequera provided the game-winning hit in the 9-8 game one win, but that wasn't it on the day. The UNF veteran homered three times between the two games, including twice in game one while reaching 10 long balls on the season in the process.

For the day Sequera went 5-for-11 with four runs, six RBI, one double, three home runs and his first-ever appearance behind the dish at catcher as he slid into that slot after Caleb Stafford and Dallen Leach were already subbed out of the contest. Sequera also homered Thursday night, giving him four home runs against the Eagles.

With three home runs today, Sequera became the first Osprey to reach double-digit home runs in a season since Tanner Murphy did so in 2018.

As for postseason scenarios, UNF (21-32, 11-18 ASUN) positioned itself nicely with a key win against FGCU (34-21, 17-13 ASUN), a team that entered with one of the higher RPIs in the league. The Ospreys will await the results of the final games across the ASUN tomorrow and see who they will be pitted against in the RPI comparisons that will be made to determine the final two slots in the ASUN Championship.

UNF ensured that it would finish ahead of Stetson with a win today, guaranteeing North Florida as the five seed in the ASUN East Division. The Ospreys' RPI will be compared to RPI of the remaining fourth place team in the ASUN West Division to fill the final spot in the eight-team field as Jacksonville is more than likely to take the first of two RPI-qualifying spots.

Game 1: UNF 9, FGCU 8 (11 inn.)

Pitchers of Record
Win: Stephen Halstead (3-4)
Loss: Daniel Batcher (1-2)

Line Scores
FGCU | 8R, 12H, 2E, 7 LOB
UNF | 9R, 12H, E, 9 LOB

Behind the Line Score

FGCU hit three solo home runs in the first to jump to a 3-0 lead.
The Ospreys got on the board for the first time in second. A pair of walks led into Grant Grodi's RBI double to right center.
The Eagles answered again, getting a solo home run from Ian Farrow and a two-run home run from Harrison Povey in the third.
Abraham Sequera got UNF into the home run column with a solo shot over the fence in center.
Logan Sartori hit a solo shot of his own in the top of the fourth, belting one to left center for a 7-2 FGCU lead.
Justin Holmes got in on the home run action with his own solo home run to the tree line beyond the fence in right, cutting the deficit to 7-3 in the fourth.
Tony Roca stymied FGCU after allowing the home run to Sartori, keeping UNF within striking distance.
Sequera launched a two-run home run on a high changeup in the seventh, cutting the deficit to 7-5.
The game entered a 40-minute delay beginning at 4:34 as lightning was spotted in the area.
Recharged after the intermission in the bottom of the eighth, UNF worked around one FGCU run in the ninth before tying the game after being down to its last strike.
With Aidan Sweatt batting and runners at second and third, Sweatt poked a grounder to FGCU's Bobby Head at shortstop. Head threw wildly to FGCU's Joe Kinker at first, allowing the tying run to come home.
Righty Stephen Halstead took over in the 10th as the new pitcher of record for UNF, relieving Roca after a solid effort from the lefty.
Halstead dealt two perfect frames, using just 11 pitches, six of which were thrown to Sequera behind the plate.
After being behind the plate, Sequera delivered at the plate, scoring Tyler Gerteisen all the way from first base with a double to the right field corner to win the game and prompt a mob of Ospreys near second base.

Friday afternoon walk-off!#NCAABaseball x ?? @OspreyBSB pic.twitter.com/njIoHhzcos
— NCAA Baseball (@NCAABaseball) May 20, 2022

Statistical Leaders
FGCU

Brian Ellis | 2-for-6, R, RBI, HR
Harrison Povey & Alejandro Rodriguez | 2-for-5, HR, 2RBI

UNF

Abraham Sequera | 4-for-6, 3R, 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI
Justin Holmes | 2-for-5, HR
Brock Edge | 2-for-5
Tony Roca | ND, 6.0 IP, 6H, ER, 2BB, 7K
Stephen Halstead | W, 2.0 IP, 0H, 0ER, 11 pitches

Game 2: FGCU 15, UNF 7

Pitchers of Record
Win: Darien Smith (3-1)
Loss: Ryan Jean (0-2)

Line Scores
FGCU | 15R, 17H, 2E, 4 LOB
UNF | 7R, 13H, 0E, 9 LOB

Behind the Line Score

UNF and FGCU traded two-run home runs in the first inning as Alejandro Figueredo belted one to left field and Brock Edge answered with a two-run shot to center.
The Eagles used the long ball again in the fourth, putting up five via a three-run shot from Figueredo and a two-run home run just over the wall down the right field line from Alejandro Rodriguez.
Both teams had to deal with some rain drops throughout the middle portion of the game as the only rainfall on the day came around sunset.
An RBI double, Farrow three-run home run to left center and another home run from Figueredo made it 12-2 in the sixth.
Neither team was done scoring, as eight more runners were to come across home.
North Florida uncorked a five-run barrage with two outs in the seventh, beginning with a Sequera home run off the scoreboard in left.
After Cade Westbrook and Sweatt singled, Trey Spratling-Williams sliced a two-RBI double into the left field corner.
Leach followed suit with his own RBI double, this one to the right field corner.
One batter later, Blake Pound reached on a fielding error by Head at shortstop, scoring Leach.
Povey hit a three-run home run in the ninth to put the game out of reach.

Statistical Leaders
FGCU

Alejandro Figueredo | 3-for-3, 6 RBI, 3HR, 2BB
Alejandro Rodriguez | 2-for-4, 2R, 2RBI, HR
Harrison Povey | 1-for-5, HR, 3RBI
Darien Smith | W, 6.0 IP, 6H, ER, 2BB, 2K

UNF

Cade Westbrook | 3-for-5, R, 2B
Trey Spratling-Williams | 2-for-4, 2RBI, 2B, R
Brock Edge | 3-for-5, 2RBI, R, HR

Notes

Both teams put up five-run innings in game two.
Sequera became the first Osprey to reach 10 home runs in a season since former teammate Tanner Murphy did so with 10 in 2018.
UNF concludes the home slate 15-17 at Harmon Stadium.
Cade Westbrook is two hits shy of reaching 60 hits for the year, which would make him the fifth Osprey to get to that mark on the year.
Sequera is the first Osprey to get to 50 RBI since Yahir Gurrola posted 51 in 2017.
The Ospreys reached double-digit hits in 24 games out of 53 regular season contests.
UNF won three of five home ASUN series this season.

Up Next
UNF waits for ASUN play to conclude tomorrow as RPI rankings continue to shake out to determine the remaining slots in ASUN Championship postseason play.