JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - North Florida baseball goes on the road for the first time this year when the Ospreys take on FAMU in midweek action at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 28.
North Florida is coming off its second-straight weekend series win, completing an eight-game home stand to start the season.
Tomorrow's game will only feature live stats. No live stream will be provided.
GAME DETAILS
Dates: Tuesday, Feb. 28
Time: 4 p.m.
Location: Tallahassee, Fla.
Opponent: FAMU
Watch: N/A
Live Stats: famuathletics.com
All-Time Series: UNF leads, 29-2 (UNF won two in Tallahassee last year, including the continuation of a postponed game)
Run Up the Roundtrippers
- North Florida has hit 15 home runs through eight games this season, good for the most in the ASUN and the 12th-most across all of NCAA Division I.
- That mark sets a UNF record for at least the program's Division I era
- For context, North Florida didn't hit its first long ball until March 2 of last season
- 10 different Ospreys have at least hit one home run, with Cade Reich and Alex Lodise tied for the team lead with three each
Lance Bolsters Bullpen
- Through a team-best five outings, UNF reliever Lance Bolton has helped sure up the UNF bullpen early on
- The righty has held hitters to .100 through 8.2 innings, fanning 12 while spinning a 2.08 ERA
In-State Stretch
- UNF plays its first road game Tuesday while reaching a midway point in UNF's 18-game streak of playing games inside the Florida state lines
- UNF doesn't leave the Sunshine State until March 17 when the Ospreys go to Austin Peay
SCOUTING FAMU
- FAMU is 2-6 after having been swept by EIU and then Mercer in a midweek two-game tilt
- The Rattlers picked up their wins against Southern and Prairie View A&M in New Orleans this past weekend
- FAMU advanced to the conference semifinals last year before being bounced by Southern
- Senior Jared Weber paces the Rattlers with three home runs and eight RBI
- Infield Joe Pierini is the team's hottest hitter thus far, going 10-for-23 at the dish
- FAMU pitchers have permitted eight home runs and 6.93 earned runs through nine innings thus far
MORE UNF NOTES
Newcomer Contributions
Lodise's Memorable Debut
- Freshman Alex Lodise had quite the UNF debut. The shortstop made a slick play in the field to end a scoring threat and responded with a solo home run to right center in the bottom of the inning, getting UNF on the board.
- He was the first Osprey to homer in their UNF debut as true freshman since UNF great Tyler Marincov did in 2011.
Season-Opening Dramatics
Transfer
Jakob Runnels delivered the pinch-hit walk-off RBI single down the left field line, scoring
Cade Reich for the 3-2 win in the season opener Friday night. Runnels came through in his first-career at-bat at UNF, providing the Ospreys with their second walk-off win in the season opener in four seasons after winning via a balk-off in 2020 against VMI.
First Game Magic
Eric Fouraker came in as defensive substitution last Wednesday and proceeded to single in his first at-bat. He went on to launch a two-run home run to left field in his next trip up, making him the second Osprey in five games to homer in their UNF debut, joining
Alex Lodise.
At a Glance
- UNF's roster features 35 active players,with 18 newcomers. North Florida brings back four starters and 16 that have already earned letters. UNF's coaching staff looks a little different this year as well. Brady Bogart joins in his first season on the staff, serving as an assistant and as the primary pitching coach.
- Kyle Brooks returns for his fifth season overall and 2nd in an assistant role.
Preseason Selection
- Junior infielder Aidan Sweatt was named to the ASUN Baseball Preseason All-Conference squad. Sweatt is UNF's first preseason-conference pick since future MLB Draft picks Brad Deppermann and Tanner Murphy were selected in 2019.
- Sweatt is the first UNF infielder to be tabbed to the preseason team since Alex Merritt was picked back in 2017. He is one of five infielders honored this season in the 14-team league.
- The junior is coming off a 2022 campaign that saw him earn Second Team All-ASUN honors. The middle infielder hit .329 with 70 hits, 32 runs, eight doubles, three home runs, 38 RBI and had eight stolen bags.
- As a freshman, Sweatt started all but one game, earning unanimous all-freshman honors after hitting .282 with 28 runs and 14 doubles. He is just one game shy of 100 games played for his career and two games started away from 100.
Veteran Lefties
- UNF returns two veteran lefties that are projected to earn significant innings as starters this season.
- Southpaw Peter Holden found a groove after being inserted into the weekend rotation last April. Holden finished the season with Second Team All-ASUN honors, working his way into the Friday night slot with solid outing after solid outing. He finished the season 4-3 with a 3.41 ERA, one complete game and 68.1 innings worked. He would also be named to the ASUN All-Academic Team.
- Local lefty Tony Roca returns with144 innings worked and 126 strikeouts in his fourth season in the Navy and Gray.
Home Grown
As has become the theme for UNF baseball, North Florida's active-35 man roster features 33 players from the Sunshine State. A number of them come from the 904 area or nearby counties. High schools such as Bishop Kenny, Clay, Bartram Trail, Creekside, Paxon, Fletcher, Ponte Vedra and more are featured on the UNF roster.
Sophomore 'Spreys
A number of freshmen during the 2022 season are now primed for their sophomore seasons after contributing significant time last year.
Tyler Gerteisen and
Drew Leinenbach saw ample time last year, while relievers
Clayton Boroski and
Scott Griesemer earned valuable experience during their freshman seasons.
Hold It Down Halstead
Righty reliever
Stephen Halstead is back for his senior season. The Pensacola, Fla., native was named to the 2022 NCBWA Stopper of the Year Preseason Watch List. He is one of the most effective bullpen arms in the league, turning in a 3.07 ERA, .245 opponents' batting average and 60 strikeouts across 40 appearances.
Schedule Notes
- 34 home games, 22 road games and 43 games in Florida
- UNF plays ASUN newcomers: Austin Peay (March 17-19) and Queens (April 28-30)
- Eight-game home stand to start the year, the longest since 1994 and tied for the longest in UNF history
- 19 games against in-state teams
- 26 non-conference games and 30 in ASUN play
- River City Rumble is set for May 18-20 at JU
- Four games against Power Five teams (Florida State, South Carolina, and Florida (two))
- Fourth-straight year playing at South Carolina
- UNF hosts FSU for the first time since 2010
- First time playing USC Upstate since 2018, the last year the Spartans played in the ASUN
- 12 games against first-time foes, made up of four three-game series (Murray State, Villanova, UCA and Queens)
- Five games marks the longest road stretch of the year (May 2-9)
- Nine-game homestand is the longest of the year (April 6-19)
- 30 ASUN games
- One doubleheader (March 4 vs. Fordham)
