JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville University baseball secured a series win on Friday afternoon with a 6-5 win over Eastern Kentucky at John Sessions Stadium.
 
The Dolphins (22-10, 7-4) used strong pitching and an opportunistic offense that scored five of its six runs with two outs to prevail.
 
Following a quick top of the first, the Dolphins grabbed the bats and were quick to do damage. Chase Malloy led off the game with a home run over the left field wall to give Jacksonville an early lead.
 
Richard Long was dealing early, sitting Eastern Kentucky down in order through three innings as Jacksonville clung to a 1-0 lead. The top of the order was due up for Jacksonville going into the bottom of the third. After two quick outs, Kris Armstrong ripped a double off the right field wall to give Jacksonville a runner in scoring position. Hogan McIntosh banged a double into the left centerfield gap to score Armstrong from second to extend the Dolphins lead to 2-0.
 
The top of the EKU order was due up in the fourth as the Colonels were looking to bounce back. A one-out walk gave Eastern Kentucky its first base runner of the afternoon. The walk was followed by a base hit into left field that put runners at first and second with one away. The next batter hit a deep drive into centerfield for a double to cut the Dolphins lead to 2-1. A base hit back up the middle scored two runs to give Eastern Kentucky a 3-2 lead. After the runner stole second and advanced to third on an error, a walk put runners on the corners with two away. A wild pitch scored the run from third to make it 4-2 Colonels before the inning finally concluded.
 
In the bottom of the fourth, Blake Edmonds drew a one-out walk to put the tying run at the plate. After a flyout out to deep left field, Elias Flowers hit a ball right back up the middle for a single, and a fielding error in center allowed Edmonds to score from first and Flowers went all the way to third to cut the Eastern Kentucky lead to 4-3. Malloy tied the game at four with an RBI base hit into left field.
 
Divine Valle came in to relieve Long and pumped out a quick fifth inning, sitting EKU down in order.
 
Armstrong drew a walk to lead off the bottom of the fifth, putting the go-ahead-run on-base. Following a strikeout, Colin Wetterau was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second. A pinch hitter for the Dolphins, Josh Steidl, grabbed a bat for Blake DeLamielleure. On a wild pitch, Armstrong took third base to put the go ahead run 90 feet away. Steidl drew a walk to load the bases. After another strikeout, Cam Ridley dug in to the batter's box. On an 0-2 count, a wild pitch scored Armstrong to give Jacksonville the lead, 5-4. Then, a balk plated a second run to give the Dolphins a two-run advantage, 6-4. Ridley flew out to right field to end the fifth inning, but the damage was done.
 
In the very next inning, a leadoff double had Eastern Kentucky back in business. A base knock into left field scored the runner from second to trim the JU lead to 6-5. Valle got out of the inning without any further damage.
 
Leighton Alley relieved Valle in the top of the seventh and worked a quick inning to hold the lead. He came back out to pitch the eighth and hit a batter to put the tying run on base, but came right back with a strikeout to shut down the Colonels threat in the eighth.
 
Chris Lotito slammed the door with a one-two-three ninth inning to secure the win for Jacksonville.
 
COACH'S COMMENTS

 

ON DECK
 
The Dolphins will go for the series sweep against the Colonels on Saturday at John Sessions Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 11:00. 
 
THREE STRIKES
 
1.     Chris Lotito picked up his ninth save of the season
2.     Chase Malloy blasted his seventh home run of the season
3.     The Dolphins secured their fifth series win of the year