Box Score JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Belmont Baseball (12-12, 3-5) was defeated by North Florida (13-11, 5-6) by a score of 22-2 on Saturday afternoon. The Ospreys scored in every inning after the first to top the Bruins in game two of the series.
UNF scored first, tallying three runs in the bottom of the second on three singles and a two-RBI triple down the right field line. The Bruins immediately countered with their only two runs of the game in the top of the third inning, to make it 3-2.
Freshman Greg Brody (Dacula, Ga.) led off the inning with a single to left field. Brody then moved to third on a single up the middle by junior Zac Mitchell (Cordova, Tenn.). Belmont got on the board when junior Dylan Craig (Signal Mountain, Tenn.) also singled through the infield, scoring Brody and advancing Mitchell to second base. Senior Matt Zeblo (Raleigh, N.C.) finished off the BU offensive attack with a single through the left side of the infield to score Mitchell on the play.
The Ospreys then picked up one run in their half of the third and another six in the fourth inning to take a commanding 10-2 lead heading into the fifth inning. The North Florida fourth was highlighted by a grand slam from Kyle Dahl. UNF finished with five homers on the day, including a three run shot by Michael Wesner during a seven run sixth inning.
The Belmont pitching staff just didn't have it today, as all but senior Tyler Graskewicz (Hudson, Wis.) gave up at least one run. Freshman James Buckelew (Suwanee, Ga.) fell to 1-5 on the season after allowing seven runs and walking four in three and two thirds innings pitched. Buckelew did strike out two Ospreys, while Graskewicz, sophomore Josh Davis (Fayetteville, Ga.), and freshman Blake Harvey (Murfreesoboro, Tenn.) each recorded one strike out in the defeat.
Brody and senior Derek Hamblen (Plano, Texas) both led the Bruins with two hits a piece at the plate. Belmont finished with 10 total hits on the day, but with no extra base hits the Bruins failed to put together enough offense to hang with UNF.
Belmont and North Florida will play tomorrow at 12:00 p.m. in the final game of this three-game series in Jacksonville. Senior Nate Woods (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) is projected to start for the Bruins, while the Ospreys' starter has yet to be determined.
