Baseball’s Ninth Inning Rally Concludes Just Short Against Jacksonville State

Thursday, April 6

Jacksonville, Fla.

6:05 p.m.

University of North Florida

16-14, 4-6

Jacksonville State

15-14, 8-2

Jacksonville State

North Florida

Alex Lodise throwing the ball from second base trying to turn two

Photo by: Natavia Reddick

Baseball’s Ninth Inning Rally Concludes Just Short Against Jacksonville State

4/6/2023 9:37:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Ospreys Drop Series Opener, 8-6

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Trailing 8-4 heading to the bottom of the ninth, North Florida baseball (16-14, 4-6 ASUN) got the go-ahead run to first base but Jacksonville State (15-14, 8-2 ASUN) wriggled out the jam as the Ospreys came up just short of completing another ninth inning rally in an 8-6 loss Thursday, April 6.

UNF was the first to score, putting up a three spot in the third, but Jacksonville State did all of its scoring in an eight-run sixth inning. UNF loaded the bags and pushed two across in the ninth, although JSU got the game-ending punchout to conclude things.

JSU 8, UNF 6

Pitchers of Record
Win: AJ Causey (4-0)
Loss: Peter Holden (3-3)
Save: Austin Cornelius (1)

Line Scores
JSU | 8R, 8H, E, 6 LOB
UNF | 6R, 7H, 0E, 7 LOB

Behind the Line Score

After allowing a leadoff single, Peter Holden settled in to retire nine straight through three innings.
UNF scored three in the third. With two outs and Aidan Sweatt on first, Austin Brinling chopped a double over the first baseman and into the right field corner, scoring Sweatt. One batter later Jakob Runnels launched his 10th homer of the year over the wall in left.
After being shut down through five, JSU woke up the bats in the sixth with a flurry of six singles, two hit batters and two walks to go up, 8-3.
UNF slowed JSU's momentum with an RBI single from Cherokee Nichols in the sixth, coming through on a 3-0 pitch with two away to score Brinling.
Brody Maynard did a good job of keeping UNF within four, sending the game to the bottom of the ninth, 8-4, in favor of Jacksonville State.
With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Dallen Leach worked a walk, took second on a wild pitch and scored via an RBI single from Matthew Clements. Brinling would score Clements with a sharply hit but mishandled grounder to third, getting things to 8-6.
After a Runnels walk, JSU went to the pen for the second time in the inning before closing things out with the bases load.

Statistical Leaders
JSU

Javon Hernandez | 2-for-4, 2B
Mason Maners | 1-for-3, 2RBI, R
AJ Causey | W, 6.0 IP, 6H, 4ER, 0BB, 3K

UNF

Austin Brinling | 2-for-5, 2R, 2B, RBI
Jakob Runnels | 2-for-3, R, 2RBI, BB
Brody Maynard | 1.1 IP, H, 0ER, 0BB, 2K

Notes

UNF and JSU met for the first time in just over a full decade
North Florida and Jacksonville State played for the first time as ASUN foes
The Ospreys played their first game on a Thursday this season
UNF had two players with double-digit home runs for the first time since 2016. Lodise and Runnels each have 10 homers through just 30 games of the season
It was UNF's 10th errorless game of the year
Sweatt, Brinling and Runnels combined for four runs, four hits, three RBI and three walks
Maynard had his ERA dip to 1.50
The game saw just three extra-base hits

Up Next
UNF and JSU meet for game two tomorrow at 6:05 p.m.