DELAND, Fla. – Two runs in each of the six and seventh innings propelled Jacksonville University baseball to a 5-2 win over Stetson on Friday at Melching Field.
 
The Dolphins (27-24, 13-15) evened up the series with the Hatters in a game that started at 10 a.m. due to the weather forecast.
 
For the second straight day, Chase Malloy helped JU jump out to an early lead. He ambushed the first pitch of the game, sneaking it down the third base line for a leadoff double. Elias Flowers sacrificed him to third and Blake DeLamielleure got his strong day started with a single to right to plate Malloy and give the Dolphins the 1-0 lead.
 
Once again, Stetson immediately tied it, this time with a leadoff homer to right center. After a single, Michael Darrell-Hicks got the first two outs of the inning. He then hit consecutive batters to load the bases, before bearing down to induce a groundout to second to end the threat and keep the game tied at one.
 
Darrell-Hicks settled in after that, as he faced the minimum in the second, with a caught stealing eliminating the only runner who reached. He bookended the third inning with a pair of strikeouts to sit down the Hatters in order. After allowing a leadoff single in the fourth, JU turned a double play due to a failed hit-and-run. Again, Darrell-Hicks fanned two to end the Hatters 1-2-3 in the fifth.
 
With strong pitching and defense keeping the game tied, the offense came alive in the sixth. Christian Coipel led off with a single, followed by a double to right by DeLamielleure. With one out, Jesus Pacheco fell behind 0-2, before fouling off a few pitches and taking two as well. He then sent the seventh pitch of the at-bat to center to score two and break the tie, giving the Dolphins the 3-1 lead.
 
Stetson drew a one-out walk in the bottom half, and Darrell-Hicks registered his seventh strikeout of the game for the second out of the inning. He was relieved by Bryce Fisher, and the Hatters strung together back-to-back singles to score one and cut the JU lead to 3-2, but Fisher induced a flyout to short to strand men at second and third and keep the Dolphins on top.
 
JU extended the lead in the seventh. Again, the first two men reached, this time with Cam Ridley singling to start the frame and Malloy collecting his second double of the day to force Stetson to make a pitching change. Flowers greeted the new Hatter arm with a single to center to plate two and giving JU the 5-2 lead.
 
Fisher worked a flawless seventh and eighth in relief, striking out three, before giving way to Tyler Vogel in the ninth. The closer got a groundout for the first out, and then Jackson Grabsky made a great play in foul territory, reaching over the wall in the bullpen down the line to make the catch for the second out. After a walk, Vogel induced another grounder to second to end the game.
 
ON DECK
 
Jacksonville works for its first road series win of the year, with the rubber match at Stetson scheduled for 10 a.m. on Saturday.
 
THREE STRIKES
 

• Chase Malloy hit his second and third doubles of the weekend, and now has four extra-base hits in the series. His 15 doubles are the most in a season since Jacob Southern hit 15 in 2019
• Blake DeLamielleure registered his team-leading fifth three-hit game of the season
• Michael Darrell-Hicks recorded his 72nd strikeout with his seven today, the 10th ASUN pitcher to reach the 70 K mark this season