FORT MYERS, Fla. – Jacksonville University baseball surrendered three runs in the first on its way to a 9-3 loss to #7 North Florida in the ASUN Baseball Championship on Wednesday evening at JetBlue Park.
 
With the loss, the Dolphins (27-27) were eliminated from contention to advance to the semifinals out of Pool B.
 
The Ospreys started the day with a single to short that kickstarted a strong offensive showing. It was followed by another single, then an RBI double to plate the first run of the game. A sacrifice fly made it 2-0 and a double off of the Green Monster in left gave UNF a 3-0 lead before JU came to the plate.
 
UNF hit a solo home run in the second and turned a one-out single and stolen base, followed by an RBI single to right into a 5-0 advantage.
 
In the bottom of the third, the Dolphins got on the board. Cam Ridley led off with a single to center, and advanced to second on a groundout. He then scored on Jonah Diaz's single down the third base line to cut into the lead, 5-1.
 
Two walks started the fourth for North Florida and set the table for a double to left to drive in two and extend the UNF lead to 7-1.
 
Tyler Naumann settled in for an extended relief outing, not allowing a run over three consecutive innings, while piling up five strikeouts.
 
Ridley again led off an inning with a single, this time the seventh. Diaz and Christian Coipel drew one-out walks to load the bases for Blake DeLamielleure, who flared a single to right to plate two and bring JU within four, 7-3.
 
The Ospreys tacked on insurance runs in the eighth and the ninth, using a two-out double and RBI single in the former inning and a solo homer in the latter to build the final margin.
 
ON DECK
 
Jacksonville faces #6 Eastern Kentucky in the final game of Pool B on Thursday at 3 p.m. The Colonels have already clinched a berth in the semifinal round.
 
THREE STRIKES

• Jonah Diaz registered a three-hit game, the second of his career and Cam Ridley and Tommy Joseph added multi-hit games
• Christian Coipel extended his on-base streak to nine games
• JU fell to UNF in the ASUN Baseball Championship for the first time since 2018