Baseball Clipped in Friday Night Pitcher's Duel With Villanova, 2-1

Friday, February 24

Jacksonville, Fla.

6:05 p.m.

University of North Florida

Villanova

Peter Holden throwing a pitch to the plate

Holden suffered the hard-luck loss, fanning seven in seven frames while allowing just two earned.

Photo by: Jeremiah Wilson

Baseball Clipped in Friday Night Pitcher's Duel With Villanova, 2-1

2/25/2023 12:25:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

Ospreys Out-Hit Wildcats, Holden Spins Quality Start

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Lefty Peter Holden spun a quality start with a strong seven-inning outing and the Ospreys outhit Villanova, 7-5, but the visitors capitalized on one more scoring opportunity as North Florida (2-3), was clipped in a pitcher's duel with the Wildcats, 2-1, Friday, Feb. 24.

Holden permitted just two runs across seven innings, fanning one batter per frame while surrendering just five hits and a pair of free passes. Runners left on base loomed large in UNF's loss, with North Florida leaving 11 on the basepaths to just four for Villanova (1-3).

VILLANOVA 2, UNF 1

Pitchers of Record
Win: Chic DeGaetano (1-0)
Loss: Peter Holden (0-1)
Save: Patrick Montfort (1)

Line Scores
VILLANOVA | 2R, 5H, E, 4 LOB
UNF | R, 7H, 0E, 11 LOB

Behind the Line Score

Villanova pushed one across in the second thanks to consecutive singles and an RBI fielder's choice
North Florida had arguably its best chance to score all game, loading the bags in the second, but a strikeout and a fly out on the payoff pitch allowed Nova to escape
That score remained until Nova opened the fourth with a double and a walk. Cherokee Nichols showed off his arm by cutting down Villanova's Jack O'Reilly at home on his attempt to score on August Biggio's single
Austin Brinling provided a spark in the fifth, doubling to open the frame before scoring on Peyton Sybrandt's two-out single
UNF had chances late, but Villanova held on

Statistical Leaders
VILLANOVA

Jack O'Reilly | 2-for-3, R, RBI, BB, 2B
Chic DeGaetano | W, 3.1 IP, 4H, ER, 2BB, K

UNF

Dallen Leach | 2-for-2, BB
Cherokee Nichols | 1-for-3, 2BB
Peter Holden | 7.0 IP, 5H, 2ER, 2BB, 7K

Notes

It's the second-straight Friday night game that has been decided by a run
Holden hasn't allowed more than two earned in both of his starts. He pitched the required amount to be eligible for a victory in both
It was the first-ever meeting between the two teams
North Florida last played a Big East team when the Ospreys hosted Butler last March
UNF drew seven walks but left at least one runner on base in all nine innings
Holden's seven-inning outing was the third longest of his career
Lance Bolton had his third-scoreless relief outing of the year
Every Osprey starter reached base

Up Next
The Ospreys and Wildcats get going tomorrow at 2:05 p.m.