JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville University baseball took the win over Dartmouth on Tuesday evening, 8-3.
The Dolphins (14-8) took an early lead and separated late to win a 10th game at home already this season.
JU and Dartmouth shared scoreless frames in the first two innings. After the Big Green failed to score again in the top of the third, the bottom of the Dolphins order started to make some noise.
Chandler Howard hit an infield single to get Jacksonville on the base paths. After
Cam Ridley bunted into a fielder's choice (1-6) and advanced to second base on a wild pitch,
Elias Flowers was up with a runner in scoring position. A base hit into right field scored Ridley from second base to give Jacksonville a 1-0 lead and Flowers advanced to second on the throw home. Another wild pitch moved Flowers up to third and a walk to
Chase Malloy put runners at the corners still with only one out. An RBI single by
Justin Nadeau made it 2-0 Dolphins.
Dakota Stone continued to battle as he stranded the bases loaded in the top of the fourth inning to hold on to the 2-0 lead.
After five scoreless innings, he was replaced in the top of the sixth by
Divine Valle.
The Big Green grabbed the bats in the top of the seventh. A one out double by Dartmouth gave them a base runner, and an error in the outfield advanced the runner to third. An RBI ground out cut the Dolphin lead to 2-1.
Ridley led off the bottom of the seventh reaching base safely on a throwing error. Back-to-back infield bunt hits loaded the bases for Nadeau. He came through with a single into right field that moved everyone up 90 feet to extend the Dolphins lead to 3-1.
Kris Armstrong hit a deep fly to right field to drive in two more runners, giving Jacksonville a 5-1 lead.
Valle held Dartmouth scoreless in the eighth, stranding runners at the corners with a strikeout.
For the Dolphins in the bottom of the eighth, a two-out rally broke out, with Malloy kickstarting it with a double. Following a Nadeau walk to put two on, Armstrong hit a bloop double into left field, scoring both Malloy and Nadeau to make it 7-1. The Dolphins kept it going with a
Hogan McIntosh double that scored Armstrong, advancing the Jacksonville lead to 8-1. The Big Green finally got out of the inning but the damage was done for Jacksonville.
Dartmouth did not go quietly as they quickly scored two runs that forced Coach Hayes to go to his closer,
Chris Lotito. With one out, he got an infield fly with the bases loaded and a fly out to right field ended the game.
ON DECK
Jacksonville is back home for game two against Dartmouth on Wednesday night. First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
THREE STRIKES
1.
Blake DeLamielleure had a three-hit day with a double
2.
Dakota Stone became the second Dolphin pitcher this season to register double-digit strikeout, recording a career-high 10
3. Chris Lotitio picked up his fifth save of the season
