JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville University baseball took down the Bellarmine Knights on Saturday night and clinched the series by a score of 9-4.
 
The Dolphins (28-18, 12-11) got off to a strong start and never trailed en route to a third-straight win.
 
After a scoreless top of the first inning, Chase Malloy led things off for the Dolphins with a double into left field. Elias Flowers capitalized on the RBI opportunity with a base knock into right field to make it 1-0 Jacksonville. Flowers advanced to second on the throw home and Kris Armstrong then moved Flowers up to third base on a hard-hit ground out to second base. Justin Nadeau drew a base on balls to put runners on the corners with only one away. Josh Steidl then ripped one into right field which scored both Dolphin runners on a two-RBI triple, making it 3-0 Jacksonville. With still only one away, Blake DeLamielleure blasted his fourth home run of the season to extend the lead to 5-0. The Dolphins sent nine to the plate in the first and gave Richard Long an early lead.
 
Bellermine got two one-out baserunners on a walk and an infield single in the top of the second trying to cut into the Jacksonville lead. A second walk of the inning loaded the bases with one out. Long hit a batter to give the Knights a run making it 5-1 Dolphins. Then a sacrifice fly to deep right field scored another run cutting the Jacksonville lead to 5-2. A ground out back to Long (1-3) ended the inning.
 
In the bottom of the third, Steidl led things off with a base hit as Jacksonville looked to extend the lead. After a fly out to right, Tommy Joseph grounded out, but moved Steidl up to second base. With two outs, Hogan McIntosh delivered an RBI single into right field to extend the Dolphins lead to 6-2.
 
The Knights continued to battle, starting the fourth inning with a blast over the left field wall to put Bellarmine back in it, 6-3. Long settled back down getting the next three batters.
 
A leadoff walk had Bellermine back in business in the fifth. On a hit and run, a line shot just over   Malloy's head at short put runners at the corners with nobody out. An RBI groundout on a fielder's choice cut the Dolphin lead to two, 6-4. Long got the next two out to put an end to the Knights' rally.
 
Steidl led off the home half of the fifth with an infield single up the middle. After two quick outs, a balk was called that moved Steidl to second. McIntosh hit a ball hard off the pitcher that was good for an infield hit putting runners at first and third. A wild pitch scored Steidl from third and moved McIntosh up to second base. Another single laced into center field scored McIntosh to make it 8-4, but Colin Wetterau was thrown out at second trying to advance on the throw in from center that ended the inning. 
 
With one-out in the bottom of the sixth, consecutive walks to Flowers and Armstrong had two on for Nadeau. With an RBI opportunity, Nadeau delivered just that, with a single into right field that scored Flowers from second to make it 9-4.
 
Blake Barquin ended the night for the Dolphins on the mound, going four innings and striking out three to earn the save.
 
COACH'S COMMENTS

 

ON DECK
 
Jacksonville goes for the sweep on Sunday against the Bellarmine Knights. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. at John Sessions Stadium.
 
THREE STRIKES
 
1.     Jacksonville won its 20th home game of the year
2.     It was the eighth series win of the season for JU
3.     Blake Barquin settled things down out of the bullpen and was credited with a save, his second of the season