COLUMBIA, S.C. - UNF baseball (26-23) shocked one of the nation's top teams, getting five runs in the third and stingy relief down the stretch to topple No. 6/7 South Carolina (36-12) , 8-5, Tuesday, May 9.
The Ospreys endured a slew of South Carolina scoring opportunities with impeccable pitching with runners on base, stranding a total of 16 Gamecock runners. The pressure on the bases wasn't all that UNF outlasted, as a two-hour and two-minute lightning delay interrupted play in the top of the ninth before righty
Will Ohme shut the door in the bottom half of the frame, just over six hours after first pitch.
North Florida pounded out 14 hits, securing its first top-ten win since defeating No. 3 Florida, 7-1, February 20, 2019. It's also UNF's first SEC victory since North Florida took a game from No. 21 Georgia in Athens Mar. 5, 2021.
UNF finally cracked through against South Carolina after the previous four meetings were decided by three runs or less in SC's favor. The Ospreys have now earned two Power Five wins this season and nine since 2019.
Under head coach
Tim Parenton North Florida has defeated Missouri twice, No. 3 Florida, Ohio State, Florida State twice, No. 21 Georgia, Boston College and now No. 6 South Carolina.
UNF 8, #6/7 SC 5
Pitchers of Record
Win:
Tony Roca (1-4)
Loss: Dylan Eskew (0-1)
Save:
Will Ohme (1)
Line Scores
UNF | 8R, 14H, E, 14 LOB
SC | 5R, 11H, E, 16 LOB
Behind the Line Score
- Austin Brinling walked, Jakob Runnels was hit by a pitch and a wild pitch pushed them to third, although SC got out of it with the help of a pair of strikeouts.
- SC got on the board in the first. Dylan Brewer walked, stole second and scored on a Gavin Cases double to left center.
- The UNF bats peppered the field with six singles in the third, getting hits from Aidan Sweatt, Jakob Runnels, Cherokee Nichols, Gabriel Esquivel, Dallen Leach and Matthew Clements. Esquivel, Leach and Clements all came through with RBI, while Nichols had two.
- South Carolina plated three unearned runs in the fourth. A two-base throwing error to open the frame was followed by an RBI single up the middle by Carson Hornung. Evan Stone hit a two-run home run to left, but Tony Roca limited further damage by getting Cole Messina to fan with the bags juiced.
- SC scratched across a run in the fifth, getting a sac fly to cut it to 7-5.
- UNF got an insurance run when Austin Brinling tripled in pinch runner Ian Brown in the seventh.
- After SC got the first two runners on and eventually loaded the bags in the seventh, Brody Maynard was able to get two swinging strikeouts and a lineout to first.
- Clutch relief came through again in the eighth. With the bases loaded, Brandon Adams got a pinch hitter to fan.
- After the conclusion of a two-hour and two-minute rain delay, Will Ohme entered and shut the door, fanning the side to secure the three-out save.
Statistical Leaders
UNF
- Austin Brinling | 2-for-5, RBI, 3B
- Aidan Sweatt | 2-for-6, R, RBI
- Cherokee Nichols | 2-for-5, R, 2RBI
- Gabriel Esquivel | 2-for-4, 2R, RBI
- Dallen Leach | 2-for-4, R, RBI
- Matthew Clements | 2-for-4, 2RBI
- UNF pitching staff | 2ER, 13K
South Carolina
- Gavin Casas | 2-for-5, RBI
- Ethan Petry | 2-for-5
- Evan Stone | 1-for-4, HR, 3RBI
Notes
- Both teams had ample scoring opportunities, with the teams combining to strand 13 runners through the first four innings alone.
- It was the fifth meeting between the two teams
- Play was suspended in the top of the ninth due to lightning in the area. The delay lasted just over two hours
- It's the highest-ranked team UNF has defeated since defeating No. 3 Florida in Gainesville Feb. 20, 2019
- UNF fanned 13 batters, tied for the second most in a single game this season
- UNF earned its first win against South Carolina in five tries. All five meetings have been decided by three runs or less
- Ohme earned his first-career save
- Roca got the first win of his season
- Adams has now only allowed one earned run over his last eight appearances
- All five UNF arms fanned at least two batters
- UNF tied a season-best four game-winning streak in the effort
- UNF went 4-1 on the season-long five-game road stint
- North Florida is 7-6 in its 13 games outside of the Sunshine State this year
- This was the final non-conference game of the year
- Six Ospreys had multi-hit games
- Ian Brown hit his first-career double in a pinch hit opportunity
- The UNF staff has reached double-digit punchouts on 14 instances this year
- UNF has reached double-digit hits 22 times this year
- Brinling's triple was UNF's lone extra-base hit
- Both teams combined to strand 30 runners
- South Carolina used eight pitchers, while UNF used five
Up Next
North Florida returns home for its final home series beginning Friday, May 12 at 6:05 p.m. against FGCU.
