JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville University baseball took both games of a doubleheader over Siena on Saturday at John Sessions Stadium.
The Dolphins (4-3) won 10-2 in game one and followed that up with a 9-2 victory in the seven-inning second game.
GAME ONE
After the Saints went down in order in the top of the first, the Dolphins grabbed the bats and wasted no time.
Chase Malloy drew a leadoff walk to get a runner aboard that was followed by a
Cam Ridley base hit into right field. A double steal by the Dolphins put both runners in scoring position.
Hogan McIntosh walked to load the bases, still with no outs for the dangerous freshman,
Chandler Howard. Howard lifted a blooping fly ball into right field that fell just in front of the diving Saints right fielder for an RBI single to make it 1-0 Dolphins after one.
Siena cut the lead to 2-1 in the top of the second on a solo blast to lead off the inning, but
Christian Graham settled down to hang on to the early lead.
After the Dolphins stranded a runner at second base in the bottom of the second, Siena grabbed the bats in the third. A two-out single back up the middle had a Saints runner aboard. Siena then stole second base and a wild pitch advanced the runner to third with two outs. However, Graham battled and got the third out via a strikeout.
Ridley got hit by a pitch to start the bottom of the third inning. After a McIntosh fly out to center field, Cam stole second and third base with Howard at the plate. He then delivered for Jacksonville with a single into right field to plate the third run of the game for JU, 3-1.
Graham continued his mastery on the mound, putting up three straight scoreless frames in innings three, four, and five as Jacksonville was clinging to a 3-1 lead.
A one-out single for McIntosh had the Dolphins back on the base paths in the bottom of the fifth. A tapper down the third base line by Howard went for a hit, and both runners advanced on a throwing error.
Kris Armstrong laced a base hit into right field for a two RBI single giving Jacksonville a 5-1 lead.
With two outs in the sixth inning, Coach
Chris Hayes called to the bullpen and it was
Blake Barquin who was next to take the mound. He recorded the third out on a strikeout to end the sixth.
A one-out baserunner for Jacksonville in the bottom of the sixth on a walk to Malloy set up Ridley with one away. Malloy stole second base and a wild pitch on ball four to Ridley advanced Malloy to third to put runners on the corners for McIntosh. Another stolen base by Ridley put both runners in scoring position that was followed by an RBI ground out to the shortstop by McIntosh made it 6-1 Dolphins.
A pinch hitter for Siena in the top of the seventh was hit by the first pitch of the inning then took second on a passed ball. A ground out back to Barquin advanced the runner to third with one away. A bunt for a hit put Saint runners at the corners. However, just as Jacksonville drew it up, a 6-4-3 double play ended the inning.
After a two-out walk to Wetterau and
Jonny Barditch was hit by a pitch,
Elias Flowers grabbed a bat for the first time in the ball game. A balk by the Siena pitcher moved the runners 90 feet to second and third for Flowers. After Flowers drew a walk, Malloy and the top of the order was up with the bases loaded. Malloy delivered with a bases clearing double making it 9-1 Dolphins. Ridley was next up, still with two away and traded places with Malloy with an RBI double of his own, extending the lead to 10-1.
A one-out double for Siena in the top of the eighth had the Saints aboard. On a stolen base attempt, a throwing error by Jacksonville catcher, Wetterau, allowed the run to come home safely making it 10-2 in the top of the eighth. A 4-6 put out with runner interference for a double play ended the inning.
Barquin concluded a scoreless ninth to go 3.1 innings and earn the save in relief.
GAME TWO
To start the top of the third, a bloop base hit into right field got the Saints on the basepaths. A two-run home run by the nine-hole hitter gave Siena a 2-0 lead.
Dakota Stone settled back down, getting the next three hitters in order.
Chase Malloy led off the bottom of the third inning with a double off the wall to get a runner on immediately for Jacksonville.
Cam Ridley followed up the double with a base on balls to put runners at first and second for
Chandler Howard. A deep fly out by Howard out towards right-centerfield advanced the runners up 90 feet.
Hogan McIntosh cashed in on the RBI opportunity on a pop out to the second baseman, as Malloy scored on the sacrifice fly making it 2-1 Saints.
Kris Armstrong dug in to the lefthanded batter's box with Ridley standing 90-feet away at third. Armstrong turned on one and blasted it over the right field wall for a two-run home run giving Jacksonville a 3-2 lead.
After Stone got a quick inning in the top of the fourth, Jacksonville continued to get base runners. A base hit by
Colin Wetterau got things started, then an error on a sacrifice bunt by
Jonny Barditch and a hit batter,
Elias Flowers, loaded the bases for the top of the order. A sacrifice fly by Malloy plated another run for Jacksonville, extending the lead to 4-2. The Dolphins left them there, though, as Siena got the next two hitters out.
After another scoreless frame dealt by Stone, McIntosh led off the home half of the fifth with a base hit back up the middle to get it going for the Dolphins. After Armstrong walked,
Blake DeLamielleure was due up. A wild pitch moved the runners up to second and third. DeLamielleure then roped a hit into left field for an RBI single making it 5-2 Dolphins. Wetterau laid down a bunt for a single that plated another Jacksonville run making it 6-2. Flowers hit a solid single into right field for a two-RBI hit to extend the lead to 8-2.
Stone kept dealing in the sixth with a third consecutive scoreless frame and another strikeout, his eighth.
With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, Armstrong drew a walk to get a runner on for DeLamielleure, who then pulled a ball into left field allowing Armstrong to score from first to make it 9-2 Dolphins.
Divine Valle came in to make his first appearance to try to close it down for the Dolphins in the bottom of the seventh. Valle did give up a walk, but no further damage was done as he struck out the last two batters to end it.
COACH'S COMMENTS
ON DECK
Jacksonville returns to John Sessions Stadium at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday as they go for a four-game sweep of Siena.
THREE STRIKES (plus one)
- Christian Graham recorded a career-high nine strikeouts in his game one start
- Cam Ridley set a program record (dating back to 2001) with four stolen bases in game one
- Dakota Stone won in his first start of his career and registered eight strikeouts
- JU stole 11 bases in the two games, after swiping only two all season heading into today
