SPARTANBURG, S.C. – After USC Upstate took a 2-1 advantage after three innings, visiting North Florida scored at least one run in the final six innings en route to the 14-5 win on Friday at Harley Park.
North Florida (9-9, 2-5 A-Sun) took an early 1-0 lead when Michael Smith doubled to right center, allowing Corey Bass to score in the top of the first.
After just base runner was able to reach in the first two innings, the Spartans (6-12, 1-4) finally broke through in the third inning. Anthony Vacca (Fonthill, Ontario) walked and was able to advance to second on Grason Wiggins' (Statesboro, Ga.) sacrifice bunt. Vacca was able to score when Blake Green (Rock Hill, S.C.) doubled to right field. Green later scored on Tyler Cook's (Bloomington, Ill.) RBI triple to the right center field gap. Vacca and Green's runs gave the Spartans the 2-1 lead.
UNF tied the game in the fourth when Tyler Marincov homered to left field. The Ospreys pushed the lead to three, 5-2, with a three-run fifth inning. The inning was capped by Andrew Hannon's two-RBI single with two outs.
The Ospreys tacked on one run in the sixth, but Upstate was able to cut into the lead in the home half of the sixth. Green singled to left field allowing Luke Weber (Spartanburg, S.C.) and Vacca to score with two outs, cutting the deficit to just two at 6-4.
Over the final three innings the Spartans were outscored 8-1, as the Ospreys claimed the nine-run victory.
UNF Starter Robbie Collier earned his second win of the season after pitching 5.2 innings allowing four runs on five hits with seven strikeouts and six walks. Casey Medlen and Chandler Jagodzinski closed out the game on the hill combining to allow just one run on three hits over the final 3.1 innings.
Spartan starter Scott DeCecco (Cape May Courthouse, N.J.) was the losing pitcher after pitching six innings allowing six runs on 10 hits with four strikeouts.
Upstate was led on Friday by Green and Cook. Green finished 2-for-4 with three RBI and one run while Cook tallied two hits, one RBI and one run.
The Spartans will return to action tomorrow as they wrap-up the series with North Florida with a doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m.
