JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Behind a first career complete game for Chris Gau and a five RBI night from Duncan Hunter, Jacksonville University baseball bounced back to even the series with North Florida.
JU (17-10, 1-1) prevailed 7-2 over UNF (14-14, 1-1) Friday night at John Sessions Stadium, and play a rubber match at 2 p.m. tomorrow to decide who opens up ASUN Conference play with a first series win.
"Gau did a really good job of executing our gameplan and attacking all nine innings," said Head Coach Chris Hayes. "Championships are won on Saturday's this week, and this is a great opportunity for us to take care of business at home."
Gau (4-2) describes himself as a tone-setter, but it was a defensive gem on the first play of the game that energized JU. After an hour-long rain delay to start the game, Dalton Board, UNF's leadoff man, tried to bunt his way on, sneaking the very first pitch down the third base line. Sam Armstrong charged it, barehanded, and gunned out the speedy Board to record the first out and give the Dolphins an early emotional lift.
"That definitely set the tone more than I did this game," said Gau.
After stellar defense and pitching by both sides in the first three and a half innings, Jacksonville found a crack in the armor of Osprey starter Austin Drury and capitalized. A high fly ball to shallow right caused a collision between UNF defenders and allowed John Cassala to start the inning on second. Hunter followed up with a bunt single and Ruben Someillan drove in the first run of the night on a single to left. A sliding catch made in left was the first out, and then Hunter was called out after it was determined he left third early trying to tag up, stymying the Dolphins early and limiting JU to just one run in the inning.
North Florida tied it up in the fourth, when Tanner Murphy knocked a homer over the left field wall.
JU reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the fourth for good. Again the Dolphins doubled to lead off the inning, this time it was Jacob Southern who found the right centerfield gap. Two batters later, Drury started to lose control, walking back-to-back hitters to load the bases before Hunter cleared them with a double down the left field line to make it 4-1.
"For me it's just staying simple, not getting too big with my swing and getting selfish," said Hunter.
Angel Camacho led off the fifth with a single up the middle before JU sparked a two-out rally. Franco Guardascione reached on an infield single to third and Cassala hit one hard to the hot corner that could not be handled. For the second straight inning, Hunter stood in with the bases loaded and delivered, this time with a single up the middle that plated two. Hunter became the second Dolphin this year to drive in five in a single game, joining Armstrong and Guardascione, who accomplished the feat just last Saturday.
Someillan wrapped the scoring in the inning with a double to left center, and JU led 7-1 after five.
The Ospreys got one more in the ninth, when Murphy went yard for the second time. Gau finished the game with his first career complete game, after going eight strong three different times last year. He scattered five hits, struck out a season high eight and only allowed two runners in scoring position all night.
"Attack, attack, attack, that is my mindset every time I step onto the mound," said Gau.
Jacksonville sends RHP Tyler Santana to the mound tomorrow to try and close the series with a win for the Dolphins.
"He can learn a lot from what Gau was able to do tonight," said Hayes. "He's prepared, he's ready, he's the guy we want on the mound."
"The third game is always the hardest to win. For us, it's about coming back out with that focus and getting the win tomorrow," said Hunter.
First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. and is scheduled to be aired on ESPN3.
