JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Paced by wins by freshmen starting pitchers Michael Baumann and Gregory Shannahan, the Jacksonville University baseball team defeats Coppin St. in both games of the double-header, 16-0 and 8-4 played Saturday at John Sessions Stadium. The Dolphins (4-2) extend their record and seek the sweep tomorrow at 1 p.m. first pitch.
Jacksonville slugged seven extra base-hits in the two games today, improving the team batting average to .330, .445 slugging. On the flipside, Dolphins starting pitching surrendered a total of one-run, eight hits in 10 innings pitched.
"Both freshmen did exactly what we needed them to do," said head coach Tim Montez "They gave us five strong innings, we were able to execute offensively and string some things together at the plate, taking the pressure off those guys."
In the first game, Baumann returned to the mound for the his second start delivering five innings of a shutout behind five strikeouts en route to his second win of his career as a Dolphin. Sophomore Andrew Ciocia relieved the Minnesota-native with two innings completing the combined shutout, while Ciocia retired six-of-seven batters faced with two strikeouts.
It would only take seven innings in the first game as the runs were in abundance. Senior Angelo Amendolare (6-for-10) tore the cover off the ball mashing three hits, driving in six and sending a three-run homerun over the left-centerfield wall for his second as a Dolphin, first of the season. The transfer from Seminole State was a triple shy of the cycle after driving in one after he was 25-feet away from another homerun in the fifth inning.
The triple came in the second-game when Amendolare drove a ball over the right fielders head. He would go on to produce another an RBI single in the eighth, for seven in two games.
"He's one of the guys that leads this team, to see Angelo having it going offensively, it's contagious for the rest of our club," said Montez. "Hays got on track and was freed up, taking some really good swings. Gibson also has the hot bat. It's about staying with the process and to not get caught up in the numbers."
Sophomore Austin Hays (4-for-7) would smash his second double of the season in the first game, and would gather two more hits in the second game, behind a blast over the deep part of Sessions Stadium for a two-RBI homerun, his first as a Dolphin.
Dolphins senior Cameron Gibson (3-for-7) came in to the series leading the team in batting average and his production continued with a three-hit game in the first off three singles. His hit-streak would end in the second at five-games, after three-straight multi-hit efforts.
Shannahan would get the nod on the hill in the second session of the double-header, and would flourish in his starting debut. The true freshman set down eight batters with strikeouts and gave up one earned run on three hits through five innings. He now leads the club with 12 strikeouts of the Fin 68 on the year.
Turning to the closer from Tuesday night's win against FSU in the seventh, sophomore Nathan Disch went 2.1 innings for the save, his second on the season, striking out four against Coppin St. and allowing just one hit, no runs. Disch now has eight strikeouts in five innings of work.
Jacksonville hits the road on Tuesday to face FSU after the final game with Coppin St. tomorrow.
@JUBaseball | #FearTheFin
@JUBaseball
