JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Postseason play is a different animal. Just ask Jacksonville University baseball. The #2 seed Dolphins (38-17) came from behind on two different occasions after surrendering an early lead to beat #5 seed Lipscomb (23-29) 9-6 on the opening Wednesday of the ASUN Baseball Championship.
JU relied on an offense that has scored 74 runs over the last seven games, all wins, to back up starter Chris Gau (8-3), who was good enough to earn the win after another seven inning outing.
"That's a great example of Dolphin baseball," said Head Coach Chris Hayes. "A whole lot of execution and competitiveness."
North Florida's Harmon Stadium lived up to its billing as an offense-friendly ballpark, as the two teams combined to score 13 runs on 22 hits, including three that left the yard, two for the Bisons, and one knockout punch off the bat of Angel Camacho in the fifth to help JU take the lead for good.
Just a half inning before Camacho drove in Scott Dubrule to give Jacksonville a 7-6 lead on his fifth home run of the year, Lipscomb took advantage of a two-out error by Dubrule, who's low throw to first Camacho could not handle. One pitch later, a second homer for the Bisons gave them a 6-5 lead, already the third of four times that the lead would change hands in the first five frames.
Boxers trading blows, before the ASUN leader in RBI knocked in his second and third of the day, and 53rd and 54th of the year, to ensure JU would stay on the winner's side of the bracket on day two.
"It was a fastball up and in," said Camacho. "The at bat before I grounded into a double play trying to get too big, so I made sure I stayed in the middle of the field and I got a good pitch to hit and hit it."
"This is a battle, a fight, every time we go out there, and this group is so resilient," said Hayes.
JU struck first, with a three-run bottom of the first. Ruben Someillan beat out an infield single to start it, followed by Chris Lehane's 18th sacrifice bunt of the year. A single for Dubrule put runners on the corners before Camacho's first RBI of the day, a sacrifice fly to center. Sam Armstrong started the two-out success with a run scoring double to center, and scored himself on a Connor Stephens single to right.
The Bisons immediately answered with two in the second and one in the third to tie it. Three consecutive one-out hits scored the first run, and a fielder's choice brought in the second when JU could not turn a double play in time to get out of the inning. The leadoff man singled in the third, stole second and third and scored on a groundout to knot things up at three.
A solo home run to lead off the fourth gave Lipscomb the lead for the first time, but JU responded in the bottom half. The Dolphins loaded the bases when Armstrong singled, Cory Garrastazu beat out a fielder's choice and Jacob Southern was hit by a pitch. Someillan, who finished the day with three hits in four at bats, had none bigger than his two-out, two-RBI single the other way to give the Dolphins the lead again, albeit briefly, heading into the decisive fifth inning.
After JU reclaimed the lead for good on the Camacho home run, the Dolphins loaded the bases twice more, and got one insurance run each time, on a Franco Guardascione single to center in the seventh and Stephens' bases loaded walk in the eighth.
Gau surrendered a season-high tying six runs on eight hits, but took advantage of run support and the fact that he struck out seven while walking none to finish strong, not allowing a run in his final two innings of work to preserve the lead.
"Chris was not sharp, his location was all over the place, but his stuff was really good," said Hayes. "He did what he does and set the tone for us; couldn't be happier with the outing he gave us today."
"I knew it was going to be a battle," said Gau. "I'm really proud of my team battling and supporting me."
Trent Palmer struck out two and stranded a runner in scoring position in the eighth and Chris Mauloni also fanned two in a perfect ninth to lock down his 19th save of the year, moving him back into a tie for first nationally.
Jacksonville plays the winner of the #3 seed-#4 seed matchup between Kennesaw State and North Florida tomorrow at 7 p.m. The game airs on ESPN+, 1010XL, Mixlr and tickets can be purchased here.
