Box Score Box Score (.pdf)
Jacksonville, Fla. – The North Florida Ospreys scored six runs on three home runs to defeat USC Upstate 15-4 in the opening game of a three-game Atlantic Sun Conference series on Friday night at Harmon Stadium.
North Florida improves to 32-17 overall and 10-6 in the A-Sun while Upstate drops to 20-26 and 3-12.
After the Spartans stranded a pair of baserunners in the first, the Ospreys took advantage of a leadoff walk as Corbin Olmstead drove in Kyle Brooks on an infield single. North Florida added a run in the second inning thanks to a wild pitch.
The Ospreys scored four runs in the third inning, three of them crossing the plate on an Alex Merritt three-run home run. Olmstead hit his 11th home run of the season to open the fifth before Merritt hit his second home run of the game, a two-run shot, for a 9-0 North Florida league after five innings.
After North Florida scored two runs on a pair of Upstate errors in the sixth inning, the Spartans got on the board on a Daniel Fickas sacrifice fly. James Fowlkes drove in two runs with a double and advanced to third on an Osprey error. A second North Florida error allowed Fowlkes to score to make the score 11-4. North Florida got a run back in the home half of the frame.
North Florida scored three runs in their half of the eighth.
Fowlkes went 2-for-4 with a single, double and two RBI. Fickas went 2-for-3 with two singles and an RBI.
Merritt went 4-for-4 with four singles, a double, four runs scored and five RBI. Olmstead finished 5-for-6 with five singles, two runs scored and three RBI.
Bryan Baker (4-4) claimed the win, striking out eight batters while allowing four hits in 5.2 scoreless innings. Tyler Jackson (4-3) took the loss, allowing nine runs on 12 hits in five innings.
The series continues tomorrow at 1 p.m.
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