Madonna Goes the Distance in 8-3 Win at Liberty

Saturday, April 22

Lynchburg, Va.

4 p.m.

University of North Florida

Liberty

Cherokee Nichols standing on deck against Florida State

Nichols' grand slam made it 5-0 UNF in the first, giving the Ospreys two in as many games.

Photo by: Noah Thomas

4/23/2023 12:24:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

Righty Spins 128 Pitches, Nichols Lifts Grand Slam to Propel UNF

LYNCHBURG, Va. - UNF baseball's offense hit the gas early once again, putting up a five spot in the first thanks to Cherokee Nichols' grand slam before getting a 128-pitch complete game performance from righty Dominick Madonna in an 8-3 series-tying win at Liberty (18-20, 9-8 ASUN) Saturday, April 22.

Madonna turned in UNF's first complete game since Peter Holden blanked Kennesaw State, 3-0, April 29 of last season. It was the first nine-inning complete game by a North Florida (22-17, 8-9 ASUN) righty since Nick Marchese went the full nine on 100 pitches in a 5-2 win against NJIT April 13, 2019.

Nichols belted UNF's second grand slam in as many games, going to right center to give North Florida all of the offense that it would need. The win gave North Florida its first victory against Liberty in seven chances, as well as North Florida's first win at Liberty Baseball Stadium.

UNF 8, LIB 3

Pitchers of Record
Win: Dominick Madonna (6-2)
Loss: Garrett Gainey (4-3)

Line Scores
UNF | 8R, 10H, 3E, 11 LOB
LIB | 3R, 4H, E, 6 LOB

Behind the Line Score

UNF took advantage of a four-walk inning, scoring five. A bases-loaded walk to Cade Reich plated Austin Brinling.
With two outs and the bags loaded, Nichols drove one to right center that was nearly caught before caroming off the top of the walk and over.
Liberty didn't score more than two in one inning all game, but did get two runs on two singles and two errors in the first.
Any Liberty momentum had was taken away as North Florida scored two in the second. Aidan Sweatt singled, Brinling walked and Cade Reich moved them station to station with a single.
Lodise did his job, scoring Sweatt with an RBI groundout before a wild pitch scored Brinlng.
Both teams would add one more, with North Florida getting its eighth run from an Alex Lodise RBI single.
Madonna posted six one-two-three innings, permitting just two hits all game after the first frame.

Statistical Leaders

UNF

Cherokee Nichols | 2-for-4, R, 4RBI, GS
Alex Lodise | 3-for-5, R, 2RBI
Cade Reich | 1-for-3, R, RBI, 2BB
Dominick Madonna | CG, W, 9.0 IP, 4H, 3R, ER, 3BB, 3K, 128 pitches

LIB

Kepley & Horton | 1-for-4, R
Cole Garrett | ND, 5.0 IP, 3H, 2BB, 2K

Notes

Madonna used his defense, getting an even 12 groundouts and flyouts
UNF won its first game at Liberty in a total of eight attempts
Madonna turned in UNF's first complete game since Peter Holden did so April 29 of last season.
It was UNF's first complete game on the road since Brandon Reitz did so at Lipscomb in 2019, albeit it was a six-inning complete game.
UNF has hit a grand slam twice in consecutive games for the second time this year after doing so March 31 and April 1 at Eastern Kentucky.
After going a career-long last weekend at UCA, Madonna upped that mark with his first 100-plus pitch outing. His previous long was 98, notched last weekend.
UNF has won in each of his last five starts.
It was Lodise's 13th multi-hit game this season.
The game saw just three extra-base hits