STATESBORO, Ga. – After a rough start that included a rain delay that lasted over an hour, Jacksonville University baseball methodically climbed back into Tuesday night's game at Georgia Southern, ultimately coming up just short, losing 9-8 at J.I. Clements Stadium.
The Dolphins (30-22) had the tying run at third after a four-run ninth to get within one, before the furious rally ended.
The ninth inning started with three-straight singles to load the bases.
Blake DeLamielleure led off with a base hit through short,
Nick Wrubluski followed with a pinch-hit single to right and
Hogan McIntosh loaded them with his second hit of the night.
Tommy Joseph stepped in and drove a ball over the right centerfield wall for a grand slam to make it 9-8.
Chandler Howard drew a walk and was replaced by pinch-runner
Cam Ridley, who took second on a wild pitch, and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt, but JU could not get the last crucial hit to drive him in.
The night started with Georgia Southern jumping all over the Dolphins in the bottom of the first. The Eagles struck for two quick runs and had the bases loaded when a rain shower swept in and forced a delay that spanned just over an hour. When the game resumed, a pair of at-bats ended with two more runs scoring. The bases loaded up and were cleared on a double to make it 9-0 before JU managed to get out of the inning.
From there, things settled down significantly for the pitching.
Divine Valle hit the leadoff batter to start the second, but retired the next three he faced.
Jack Carver took over in the third, and allowed a two-out single, but that was all for his outing, which spanned 2.2 innings.
Layton Perry replaced him with two gone in the fifth and threw a 1.1 innings of scoreless relief as well.
JU collected some hits, but did not break through until the sixth. DeLamielleure led off the frame with a single, and
Josh Steidl followed him with an opposite-field base hit. McIntosh singled to center to drive in the first run, and a fielder's choice to short by Joseph knocked in another to make it 9-2.
In the seventh,
Chase Malloy hit a solo homer to center, and JU put two-on, with two-outs, but could not add anymore until tacking on another in the eighth, when they loaded the bases on two walks and a hit batsman, and a wild pitch allowed Howard to race home to make it 9-3.
Parker Murphy pitched the seventh, and worked around three hit batsmen to load the bases by striking out the side to hold the Eagles off the board.
Heston Mosley threw the eighth, and the bases were loaded against him as well, but he got out of it without a run scoring, giving the Dolphins momentum heading into the ninth.
ON DECK
Jacksonville is back at home for the final series of the season vs. North Florida starting Thursday at 7 p.m.
THREE STRIKES
- Tommy Joseph hit his first career grand slam and drove in a career-high five runs
- Nick Wrubluski had his first collegiate hit in the ninth
- After the first inning, JU outscored GS 8-0 and outhit them 13-2
