Saturday, March 11
Jacksonville, Fla.
1:05 p.m.
University of North Florida
vs
Fairfield
Weekend Preview: Final Non-Conference Series Features Fairfield
3/9/2023 8:38:00 PM | Baseball
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - UNF baseball prepares for its final non-conference weekend series when the Ospreys host Fairfield for three games beginning Friday at 6:05 p.m. from Harmon Stadium.
North Florida and Fairfield last series against one another opened five years ago to the day.
GAME DETAILS
Dates: Friday, Mar. 10 | Saturday, Mar. 11 | Sunday, Mar. 12
Time: 6:05 p.m. | 2:05 p.m. | 1:05 p.m.
Location: Harmon Stadium
Opponent: Fairfield
Watch: SWOOPLife Live
Live Stats: sidearmstats.com
Weekend Starting Pitchers
Friday
Fairfield | RHP Jake Noviello
UNF | LHP Tony Roca
Saturday
Fairfield | Colin McVeigh
UNF | LHP Tony Roca
Sunday
Fairfield | RHP Jack Erbeck
UNF | RHP Avery Love
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All-Time Series: UNF leads, 7-1
You Look Familiar
National Noise
Run Up the Roundtrippers
Freshman Phenom
Walk-it Off Ospreys
Weekend Streak
Set it Up, Shut it Down
In-State Stretch
SCOUTING FAIRFIELD
MORE UNF NOTES
Newcomer Contributions
13 different Ospreys made their UNF debuts, with nine making their first-career starts this season.
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
Veteran Lefties
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
North Florida and Fairfield last series against one another opened five years ago to the day.
GAME DETAILS
Dates: Friday, Mar. 10 | Saturday, Mar. 11 | Sunday, Mar. 12
Time: 6:05 p.m. | 2:05 p.m. | 1:05 p.m.
Location: Harmon Stadium
Opponent: Fairfield
Watch: SWOOPLife Live
Live Stats: sidearmstats.com
Weekend Starting Pitchers
Friday
Fairfield | RHP Jake Noviello
UNF | LHP Tony Roca
Saturday
Fairfield | Colin McVeigh
UNF | LHP Tony Roca
Sunday
Fairfield | RHP Jack Erbeck
UNF | RHP Avery Love
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All-Time Series: UNF leads, 7-1
- UNF and Fairfield last played against one another March of 2018
- The Ospreys and Stags have only met at Harmon Stadium
- UNF took two of three from Fairfield in the last meeting back in 2018
- No current Ospreys were on that 2018 squad
You Look Familiar
- Jakob Runnels homered twice against his former team, UCF, Tuesday in Orlando
- Runnels' second home run of the evening came against former Osprey, Zach Chappell, as the Ospreys faced three former ASUN hurlers on the night
- Former Hatter, Dominic Stagliano, started the game while former FGCU Eagle Najer Victor came on in relief
National Noise
- UNF has exploded out to 141 hits through 14 games, good for second in the league and 25th nationally
- North Florida's 28 home runs is good for 13th nationwide
- Freshman Alex Lodise is second in the league in home runs, while Gabriel Esquivel and Jakob Runnels rank seventh with four
- Austin Brinling's hot start to 2023 has him third in the league and 35th nationally with six doubles
Run Up the Roundtrippers
- UNF has homered 28 times this season, already only 11 shy of the team total from all 55 games played last season
- UNF hit 18 home runs through the first eight games, setting a North Florida record for at least the DI-era.
- North Florida has posted six multi-home run games, including two five-home run games, good for tied for the UNF DI-era record
- The Ospreys have had 10 different players homer at least once this season
Freshman Phenom
- Alex Lodise has burst on the scene in his first 14 games at the collegiate level
- He hit the game-tying home run Saturday against Fordham, while hitting the game-winning three-run home run Sunday
- He leads the team in home runs, RBI, runs and total bases
- He became the first Osprey in his UNF debut to homer as a true freshman since former UNF great, Tyler Marincov, did so in 2011
Walk-it Off Ospreys
- UNF has blown some games open this year, but the Ospreys have also dug deep in one-run games, going 3-1 in one-run games this year
- Two of those games have been won via a walk-off, with UNF doing so in a 3-2 win against Murray State and a 7-6 win against Fordham Saturday
- Both of those wins have come in extra innings
- Jakob Runnels ripped a walk-off pinch hit RBI single in the season opener, while Drew Leinenbach put down a walk-off squeeze bunt Saturday against Fordham
Weekend Streak
- UNF has won each weekend series this year, taking two of three from both Murray State and Villanova
- This past weekend UNF swept Fordham in four games, giving UNF its first four-game sweep since the 2015 season when UNF took care of Brown in four-straight
- UNF swept its first series since sweeping JU April 23-25
- UNF is on its four-game winning streak since May of 2021
Set it Up, Shut it Down
- Stephen Halstead and Lance Bolton have combined for four saves over 11 appearances this season, providing a dominant presence in the back half of UNF's bullpen
- Halstead ranks first in the league in saves and fourth nationally, while ranking tied for tenth all-time in UNF history with nine saves
- Bolton has been nearly untouchable in his first seven games as an Osprey, spinning a 3.00 ERA while fanning 16 in 12 frames
In-State Stretch
- UNF has already played 12 home games this year
- The Ospreys are set to play games 15-17 of an 18-game in-state stretch to start the year
SCOUTING FAIRFIELD
- Fairfield comes into play 5-4, coming off a 5-2 seven-inning win against VCU March 5
- Three of the Stags' wins have come when posting double-digit runs
- Fairfield has homered 11 times through nine games, while surrendering 10
- Charlie Pagliarini is the clubhouse leader with three homers and 10 driven in
- As a team Fairfield is hitting .306, although they've fanned 73 times
- The Stags will be starting three righties over the weekend
- Colin McVeigh and Jake Noviello have started each weekend for Fairfield, although Jack Erbeck will make his first start this weekend
- Fairfield was selected to finish second in the MAAC Preseason Coaches Poll
- The Stags went 39-5 during the 2021 season and won two games in the Austin Regional
MORE UNF NOTES
Newcomer Contributions
13 different Ospreys made their UNF debuts, with nine making their first-career starts this season.
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)
Players Mentioned
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