ORLANDO, Fla. – A local kid drove in the first of 11 runs on the night, and Jacksonville University baseball exploded for an 11-6 win over UCF on Tuesday night at John Euliano Park.
 
The Dolphins (6-15) were opportunistic on offense, and used strong pitching performances from Christian Graham, Jack Carver and others to lock down the win to split the season series with the Knights.
 
Things got started on offense early for JU. In the top of the second, Blake DeLaimielleure drew a one-out walk, stole second and scored on Jackson Grabsky's RBI single to shallow right field. It was the Orlando-native's return to the lineup after missing Sunday's game due to injury and did not miss a beat.
 
The Dolphins added three in the top of the third. Cory Heffron and Dakota Julylia reached ahead of Christian Coipel, who drove them both in with a double, his fourth of the season. Coipel then scored when DeLamielleure beat out a potential double play to make it 4-0.
 
Graham made his first career start for JU, and gave the Dolphins just the start they needed. He struck out five and did not allow a run on two hits and two walks to set the tone on the mound.
 
After the Knights loaded the bases in the fourth, Jack Carver entered and allowed only one inherited man to score, on a double play ball. He then got another ground out to end the inning and the threat, starting his three strong innings of relief, in which he did not allow a run, struck out five and surrendered only one hit.
 
JU added one in the sixth, when Jesus Pacheco singled through the left side with two outs to drive in Jake Berg to make it 5-1 and tacked on another in the seventh, when Julylia scored on DeLamielleure's RBI groundout to push the lead to 6-1.
 
The game blew open in the eighth. Grabsky got it started with a single up the middle and Pacheco followed with a single of his own to put two on with no outs. Someillan attempted to sacrifice the runners, but reached on a throwing error, and Grabsky came home to score. Heffron slapped an infield single to short, plating Pacheco and Someillan scored on Julylia's sacrifice fly. A passed ball with two outs allowed Heffron to score and when the dust cleared, JU lead 10-1.
 
UCF hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth before Someillan hit a sacrifice fly in the top of the ninth for some insurance to make it 11-3. The Knights scored three more in the bottom of the ninth before the rally ran out.
 
ON DECK
 
Jacksonville returns home to host Stetson in an ASUN Conference series, starting at 7 p.m.on Thursday night at John Sessions Stadium.
 
THREE STRIKES

• Ruben Someillan was hit by a pitch for the first time since May 18, 2019. He wore his 26th pitch of his career and he moved into a long-awaited tie for the career HBP record, matching Seth Dewitt (2014-17)
• Someillan also extended his on-base streak to all 21 games JU has played this year. Dakota Julylia also extended his hit streak to 11 with his single in the third
• Both Christian Graham and Jack Carver set career-highs for strikeouts, racking up five in three innings each