DELAND, Fla. - Jacksonville University baseball finished their regular season with a loss at Stetson on Saturday, 9-4.
 
The Dolphins (27-25, 13-16) dropped the series at Melching Field, and now prepare for the ASUN Conference, which starts next Tuesday.
 
In the bottom of the first, the Hatters had a leadoff walk, then a base hit into left field which put runners on first and second with nobody out. They advanced on a double steal and a walk to the three-hole hitter loaded them up with for the Hatters cleanup batter. A ground ball to Jackson Grabsky at third for a 5-4-3 double play scored a run to make it 1-0, Stetson. 
 
Stetson walked to lead off the bottom of the third and on a ground ball to first base, a throwing error trying to go to second for a double play put runners at the corners. Then, a hit batsman loaded the bases for the heart of the Hatters order. Stetson's rally continued as a two RBI base hit into shallow right center field made it 3-0 Hatters. A wild pitch put runners at second and third still with no outs. A line shot to the hot corner snagged by Grabsky gave the Dolphins one out, then a ground ball to shortstop scored the fourth run, 4-0 Stetson. A pop up to Jesus Pacheco at second ended the inning. 
 
Parker Murphy came in to pitch in the bottom of the third inning and surrendered three runs walking one batter and giving up one hit. Richard Long threw a scoreless bottom of the fourth with two strikeouts.
 
In the top of the fifth, Grabsky reached on a base on balls and swiped second base. TJ Curd followed that up with an infield hit to third base to put runners at first and second. With one out, Clayton Hodges hit a RBI groundout to make it 4-1, then Christian Coipel ripped a RBI base knock into center field to cut the Hatter lead in half, 4-2.
 
In the bottom of the fifth inning, a two-run blast over the right field wall extended the Stetson lead, 6-2. After a pair of hits and pair of walks, a bunt single loaded the bases with nobody out. Another walk brought home the seventh run for the Hatters making it 7-2, but Jack Carver settled down and got out of the jam striking out the next Stetson hitter and getting a 5-4-3 double play ball to get out of the inning. He left throwing one inning and picking up one strikeout. 
 
In the bottom of the sixth, a one-out walk got a Hatter runner aboard and got to second on a stolen base. A fly ball to center advanced the runner to third. A two out double off the left field wall brought home another Stetson run pushing the lead to 8-2. 
 
In the bottom of the seventh inning, back-to-back one out base hits by Stetson got the Hatters in business. A fielder's choice ground out (6-4) advanced a runner to third, then a wild pitch scored a run making the score 9-2.
 
Pacheco led off the eighth inning with a base on balls that was followed by a Jonah Diaz single to right. A pop fly double hit by Alex Imposimato to right that just fell past the out stretched glove of the right fielder drove in Pacheco to make it 9-3. A walk to load the bases drawn by Josh Steidl forced Stetson to change pitchers, still with nobody out. After a strikeout, a wild pitch to Curd advanced everyone, including the fourth Jacksonville run making it 9-4.
 
Leighton Alley pitched a scoreless eighth inning striking out one and walking one. 
 
ON DECK
 
 The Dolphins travel to Fort Myers, Fla. in attempt to defend their conference championship in the tournament, which starts on Tuesday.  
 
THREE STRIKES
 

• Christian Coipel finished the regular season with 48 runs batted in. 
• TJ Curd (2), Clayton Hodges (2), and Alex Imposimato (3) all had multiple hits. 
• The Jacksonville pitching staff combined for seven strikeouts.