Runnels Homers Twice Despite Midweek Loss at UCF

Tuesday, March 7

Orlando, Fla.

6 p.m.

University of North Florida

8-6

UCF

9-3

North Florida

UCF

Lodise has six home runs through 14 games and has homered in each of his last three games.

Photo by: Brock Borgeson

3/7/2023 9:31:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Lodise Adds To Team-Best Home Run Total With a Solo Shot

ORLANDO - Both UNF and UCF homered a trio of times in a game featuring two teams ranked in the top 15 in roundtrippers in the nation, but the Knights pulled ahead with a six-run fifth that included a grand slam as the Ospreys (8-6) had their four-game winning streak snapped following a 10-3 loss at UCF (9-3) Tuesday, March 7.

Jakob Runnels made the most of the opportunity against his former team, homering twice to right center, while freshman Alex Lodise continued his sensational run to start his career as he homered for the sixth time this season.

The loss snaps UNF's four-game winning streak as North Florida completes just its second road game through 14 contests this season.

UCF 10, UNF 3

Pitchers of Record
Win: Dominic Stagliano (2-0)
Loss: Will Ohme (0-1)

Line Scores
UNF | 3R, 5H, 0E, 1 LOB
UCF | 10R, 12H, 0E, 9 LOB

Behind the Line Score

Clayton Boroski fanned one in two scoreless, while lefty Brody Maynard put together a scoreless third as both teams were locked in a 0-0 pitcher's duel through three frames
A Tom Josten solo home run was the first scoring of the night as UCF took a 1-0 lead in the fourth.
UCF's Andrew Sundean was afforded an extended at-bat before driving in Ben McCabe with an RBI double later in the frame
UNF replied with its own solo home run when Lodise continued his scorching hot streak to start his career, golfing a long ball to left in the top of the fifth.
UCF did some damage in the sixth, posting six runs on five hits, including a Josten grand slam and a Lex Boedicker solo home run.
Runnels hit the first of his two seemingly identical solo home runs to right center in the seventh. He would follow with one more against former UNF hurler, Zach Chappell, in the ninth
Austin Brinling made a highlight reel diving catch in right center in the seventh, but the Knights completed their scoring in that frame with a two-out RBI blood single to left center

Statistical Leaders
UNF

Alex Lodise | 1-for-3, HR
Jakob Runnels | 2-for-4, 2HR
Clayton Boroski | 2.0 IP, H, 0ER, BB

UCF

Tom Josten | 2-for-6, 2HR, 6RBI
Andrew Brait | 3-for-5, 2RBI
Dominic Stagliano | W, 6.0 IP, 3H, ER, 0BB, 2K

Notes

This was the 33rd meeting between the two teams
It was only UNF's second road game of the year
It was the first of three games against UCF this year and the first of two trips to Orlando
Lodise has homered in three-straight games
Lodise is tied for fourth in UNF history among the freshman single-season home runs list
Runnels homered twice against his former team. He was a member on the squad during the 2020 season
Runnels is the second Osprey to post a multi-home run game this season after Esquivel did it earlier this year
UNF now has six multi-home run games and 28 on the season
Three former ASUN pitchers went for UCF. Stagliano started his career at Stetson, Najer Victor pitched for FGCU and Chappell at UNF
UNF used eight different pitchers Tuesday night