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.