GAINESVILLE, Fla. – An aggressive, confident Jacksonville University baseball held on to win a knock-down, drag-out Friday night slugfest over #5/#6 Florida, 10-9.
The Dolphins (4-8) picked up a fourth straight win by outhitting the Gators 12-8 in their first game played at the new Florida Ballpark.
"That was a great fight on both sides," said Head Coach
Chris Hayes. "Two really good teams and it was actually the tale of two games.
"You love the resiliency of this group."
Both pitchers were strong to start the game, with
Tyler Santana (2-2) matching Tommy Mace throughout the first three innings of scoreless, hitless baseball. Santana did allow allow a few baserunners, but stranded them all, leaving four on through the first three.
The Gators broke the deadlock in the fourth. A leadoff single to right was followed by a triple to left to put the first run of the day on the board. A sacrifice fly made it 2-0.
JU had an immediate answer, something they would do all night.
Dakota Julylia singled through the right side and
Jackson Grabsky executed a perfect hit-and-run to put runners at the corners with one out.
Ruben Someillan sprayed a single through the right side to drive in Julylia and Grabsky to tie the game at two.
Florida took the lead again in the sixth on a two-out walk followed by a two-run homer to left field.
Again, Jacksonville responded immediately.
Trace Burchard reached on a two-base error to lead off the inning. Grabsky singled and
Jesus Pacheco bunted the runners over. Someillan drove in one on a sacrifice fly, then back-to-back doubles, first by
Cory Heffron down the third base line, then
Tommy Joseph down the first base line, made it 5-4 to give JU its first lead.
After a single to start the bottom of the seventh, Santana induced a popup and got a strikeout, before
Tyler Naumann relieved him and got another strikeout to end the inning.
The offense kept the pressure on, getting another in the eighth.
Christian Coipel singled to start the frame, Julylia laid down a perfect bunt for a hit, then pinch-hitter
Elias Flowers reached on a sacrifice bunt attempt that led to an error to load the bases. Grabsky hit a sacrifice fly to push the lead to 6-4.
A leadoff homer in the bottom of the eighth cut the lead to one again, before the best offensive inning of the night.
The Dolphins loaded the bases with no outs for the second straight inning. Heffron and Joseph singled, followed by
Blake Delamielleure's bunt single. Coipel drew a bases loaded walk, Juylia hit a sacrifice fly and Pacheco ripped a double over the bag at third to plate two and made it 10-5.
Florida hit two two-run home runs in the bottom of the ninth to cut it to one before
Jagger McCoy came out of the pen to get the final three outs for his first save of the year.
ON DECK
Jacksonville goes for the series win starting tomorrow night at 6:30 p.m. at Florida Ballpark. RHP
Mike Cassala (1-1) gets the start for the Dolphins.
COACH'S COMMENTS
THREE STRIKES
- It was the Dolphins first win over Florida since April 17, 2018, when JU won 8-4 over the #1 Gators at the since demolished McKethan Stadium
- The 10 runs and 12 hits were both season bests for Jacksonville
- Tyler Santana made his 39th career start, moving into a tie for ninth all-time with Ryan Courson (2000-03)
