JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville University baseball had a response every time Liberty threatened, and took the series with a 7-4 win on Sunday at John Sessions Stadium.
The Dolphins (23-20, 9-9) never trailed for the second straight day en route to a series win for the first time since March 31.
"They've started to understand what it takes for us to win, how engaged everybody has to be" said Head Coach
Chris Hayes.
JU took the lead in the first for a second straight day.
Dakota Julylia and
Scott Dubrule led off the inning with singles and
John Cassala drove in the first run of the game with a double.
Liberty fought back, tying it in the third when a one-out walk came in to score on a double to center.
The Dolphins immediately retook the lead in the bottom half, when Julylia and Dubrule again strung together back-to-back hits and
Angel Camacho drew a walk to load the bases, before Cassala came through again, driving in two with a single.
Jacob Southern followed that with a two-RBI double to right center and JU was up 5-1 after three.
Austin Temple (3-2) made his second straight weekend start and was again good on the mound for Jacksonville. He gave up only three hits and the one run across six innings, stranding seven Flames on the basepaths.
Both pitching staffs threw zeroes up on the board consistently until the eighth.
Trent Palmer walked a batter with one out, then surrendered back-to-back singles to load the bases. A pinch-hit sacrifice fly cut the lead to three, and a bases clearing double right after that brought Liberty within one, 5-4.
Zach Bryant relieved Palmer and stranded the tying run at second to end the inning.
JU managed some insurance in the bottom half. Cassala collected his third hit of the day to lead off the inning.
Duncan Hunter then hit a ground ball to second that was mishandled before being thrown away, allowing Cassala to score and Hunter to take second. He went to third on a groundout by Cory Garrasatzu before another error, this time by the shortstop on
Cory Heffron's sharply hit grounder, allowed Hunter to score and JU led 7-4 heading into the ninth.
Two men reached on Bryant in the ninth, but he struck out the tying run to end the game and collect his eighth save of the season.
Jacksonville stays at home to face Bethune-Cookman on Tuesday night at 7 p.m.
