DELAND, Fla. – A Friday night pitcher's duel went the way of Stetson, as Jacksonville University baseball fell 2-1 to the Hatters at Melching Field.

Chris Gau pitched eight innings for #24 JU (31-15, 8-5 ASUN), but the Dolphins managed just one hit and three base runners against Stetson (36-11, 10-3 ASUN).

"That right there was Friday night baseball," said Head Coach Chris Hayes. "Credit to the guys that toed the rubber tonight because they were outstanding."

The third inning was the difference for Stetson, as the leadoff man reached on an infield single and stole second, before a one-out single to left scored him to give the Hatters the early advantage. They added another later in the frame, when a two-out blooper to center fell to make it 2-0.

Sam Armstrong hit a leadoff homer in the fifth, his fifth of the season, to bring the Dolphins back within one. Jacob Southern then walked on four pitches and stole second, but JU could not drive him in.

"Games like this come down to a two-out basehit," said Hayes. "When you've got guys on their game on the mound like that, it comes down to one or two plays. They got their hit, we did not."

The Dolphins put a baserunner on in the first when Chris Lehane was hit by a pitch, but after he was replaced at first by Scott Dubrule on a fielder's choice, JU could not manage to move him over. Armstrong reached on a walk in the seventh, but was stranded there.

Gau (6-3) pitched at least seven innings for a 10th straight outing, and retired 15 Hatters in a row at one point, striking out eight along the way.

With the loss, JU falls two games behind Stetson for first in the ASUN Conference.

"We come back out and get to work tomorrow," said Hayes. "Its game two of a series and we fight to the very last pitch, just like we did tonight."

Tomorrow's game two starts at 6:30 p.m. with Tyler Santana taking the ball for Jacksonville. The game airs on ESPN3 and mixlr.com/judolphins.