JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Following a tough series against Bellarmine, North Florida (14-13, 4-6 ASUN) dropped their Friday night game, 8-5, against Eastern Kentucky (9-21, 6-4 ASUN) at Harmon Stadium.
UNF got off to a fast start in the first with
Cade Reich leading off with a single and a stolen base. Two batters later,
Tripp McKinlay looped a single to right field putting runners at first and third.
Cherokee Nichols brought home Reich on a sacrifice fly to put the Ospreys ahead.
Jakob Runnels then cracked a two-run home run giving UNF a 3-0 lead.
The Colonels bounced back off of
Peter Holden, scoring two runs on a single in the second from Santiago Peralta. The Ospreys got a run back in the bottom of the inning on
Gabriel Esquivel's first home run of the season. EKU joined the home run parade in the third, as Ron Franklin launched a two-run blast over the scoreboard to cut UNF's lead to one. They then tied the game in the sixth on a sac-fly from Colby Ott, followed by scoring a few in the seventh to take the first game of the series.
EKU 8, UNF 5
Pitchers of Record
Win: Nathan Lawson (3-2)
Loss: Avery Love (1-2)
Line Scores
UNF | 5 R, 7 H, 2 E, 6 LOB
EKU | 8 R, 12 H, 2 E, 8 LOB
Statistical Leaders
UNF
Jakob Runnels | 1-3, HR, 2 RBI, R, BB
Gabriel Esquivel | 1-4, HR, 2 RBI, R
Jordan Wimpelberg | 2.2 IP, 0 R, H, BB, 4 K
Eastern Kentucky
Ron Franklin | 2-4, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R
DJ Sullivan | 2-5, RBI, 2 R
Joe Clancy | 3.0 IP, H, 0 R, BB, 4 K
NOTES
- Gabriel Esquivel hit his first home run of the season.
- Peter Holden eclipsed five innings in a start for the fourth time this season.
- James Oman made his Osprey debut with a pinch-hit appearance in the eighth.
- North Florida has lost six straight games, all of them against ASUN opponents.
- Jordan Wimpelberg tossed his fifth scoreless outing of the season.
UP NEXT
The Ospreys continue the series with the second game of the weekend on Saturday, Apr. 6, at 3 p.m., in Harmon Stadium.
