JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Jacksonville Baseball started their season with a Friday doubleheader against the Cincinnati Bearcats.

In game one, the Dolphins came out victorious 8-6. Evan Chrest got the start for the 'Phins throwing three innings and registering seven strikeouts while surrendering two walks. 
 
Following a scoreless top of the first inning, the Dolphins grabbed the bats for the first time in the 2024 season. Will Gale led off the inning with a four pitch walk. Blake DeLamielleure would step in with one away and during his at bat, Gale stole second. DeLamielleure would draw a walk. With two outs, Tyrell Brewer loaded the bases on an infield single for his first hit as a Dolphin. With the bases loaded, it was up to Abdriel Delgado to deliver for the Dolphins. On a 1-2 count, Delgado hit a bases clearing triple off the left field wall to give Jacksonville a 3-0 lead. Clayton Hodges continued the hit parade with a RBI single of his own, as Jacksonville extended the lead to 4-0.
 
Following a scoreless second inning, Chrest took the mound once more in the third with five strikeouts to his name. The Bearcats didn't back down though as a lead off base hit into left field that was followed by a Home Run cut the Dolphins lead in half, 4-2. Chrest saw some more traffic but didn't give up anymore runs and held the two run Jacksonville lead.
 
Logan Jones came on to pitch in the fourth inning to relieve the starting Evan Chrest, who ended with 7 strikeouts.  
 
To start the fourth, a lead off walk put the tying run at the plate for Cincinnati. The nine hole hitter ripped a double into the right centerfield gap to put runners at second and third with nobody out. A ground ball to the third base scored a run to cut the lead to 4-3. Cincinnati would than tie the game at four with a sacrifice fly to right field. After a stolen base put a Bearcat on second base, Jones got himself a strikeout for the second out of the inning. However, a two out RBI double gave Cincinnati the lead, 5-4 and ending Logan's day. Scout Updike came in to relieve Jones and struck out the first batter he faced to get out of the inning, stranding a runner a second.
 
A lead off walk to Abdriel Delgado put the tying run on base with nobody out. A Nick Delisi hit put runners on first and second. With two away and two on, it was up to Will Gale to deliver for Jacksonville. A base hit into right field created a play at the plate that Delgado scored on to tie the game at five a piece.
 
After a scoreless fifth inning, we entered the late innings tied at five. Cincinnati would add a run to take the lead, 6-5 in the top of the sixth.
 
As the game moved to the 7th, Updike came back out to work his third inning trailing 6-5 and he worked a quick three up, three down inning to get us to stretch time in the season's opening game. 
 
With one down in the home half of the seventh, Blake DeLamielleure walked to put the tying run aboard for the Dolphins. He then swiped second base to move up into scoring position with two away. Jacksonville took advantage with a base knock off the bat of Tyrell Brewer that tied the game at six each.
 
Following a scoreless eighth inning, the Dolphins and Bearcats went to the ninth tied at six. Isaac Williams came on to pitch for Jack Carter. Isaac worked a quick top half giving the Dolphins an opportunity to walk it off in the bottom half. 
 
The top of the order was due up for Jacksonville in the bottom of the ninth. With two away, Blake DeLamielleure got a base knock into left field that brought up Josh Stiedl. On a 0-1 count, Stiedl hit a drive over the right field wall for an opening game walk off two run home run to give the Dolphins the win. Coach Chris Hayes had this to say about the walk off: "Super proud of Josh Steidl for having that moment, it really was a great way to start the season off."  Issac Williams would be credited the win.
 
Coach Hayes on he how felt overall about Game 1: "For our guys to come out and compete with fire in Game 1 of an Opening Day doubleheader, it was very encouraging to see. I am proud of the fire they played with. We got a lot to clean up and improve upon but I am very proud of how we competed."
 
Game 2 
In game two of Friday's opening day doubleheader, Jacksonville University Baseball (2-0) clinched an opening series win over Cincinnati (0-2), 11-3.
 
Tommy Allman started on the bump for Jacksonville and threw four strong innings. The Junior from Michigan struck out four Bearcat hitters. Allman earned the win, his first of the season. 
 
In the top of the first inning, after recording two strikeouts, the junior gave up a three-run homerun to give the Bearcats an early 3-0 lead. Allman got the next batter to fly out to left field for the final out of the inning.
 
Will Gale led off the game for the Dolphins with a base hit into right field as Jacksonville tried to cut into the early Bearcat lead. Justin Nadeau followed Gale up with a base hit of his own to put runners at the corners with nobody out. The heart of the Jacksonville order was due up looking to do some damage. Abdriel Delgado drove in an RBI as that cut the Dolphin deficit to 3-1.
 
Allman worked a quick top of the second inning to allow his offense to get back up it. On Jaden Bastian's first colligate pitch, he launched an opposite field solo home run over the right field wall to cut the Cincinnati lead to one; now 3-2.
 
Allman added another scoreless frame in the third inning and the Dolphins continued to try to chip away at their deficit. Justin Nadeau was hit by a pitch to put the tying run aboard. Abdriel Delgado would come up clutch again, hitting a RBI double off the center field wall that scored Nadeau all the way from first to tie the game at three. Jacksonville wasn't finished in the third yet as the Dolphins knocked in another run with a base hit into left field off the bat of Tyrell Brewer to take the lead, 4-3.
 
After a final scoreless by Allman, the Dolphins were looking to build upon their lead. With two outs a single by Cade Hentz flipped the Dolphins batting order over to Will Gale. Throughout both games, the Dolphins tremendously benefitted from hitting well with two outs, with all 8 runs being registered in Game 1. With Will Gale walking on four pitches, Justin Nadeau was now responsible for trying to extend the Dolphin lead. He did just that with a single right back up the middle to bring home the fifth run for Jacksonville making it 5-3 in the fourth.
 
Peyton Prescott would take over for Tommy Allman to start fifth inning and Prescott was more than ready for his first sighting as a Dolphin pitching a 1-2-3 top of the fifth inning. The Bearcats matched Prescott's scoreless frame in the fifth so as we moved to the sixth, Jacksonville was clinging to a 5-3 lead.
 
The Freshman from Sebastian, worked through the Top of the 6th striking out two, giving Prescott three total strikeouts through two innings of work. 
 
Cade Hentz and Will Gale both walked to start off the inning, than Justin Nadeau took a pitch to the leg that loaded the bases. Abdriel Delgado once again proved to hit terrific with runners on base, ripping a bases clearing double into right field to extend the Dolphin lead to 8-3.
 
Prescott continued his dominance in the top of the seventh cruising through the Bearcats batters. In the home half, Jacksonville continued to add to their lead. A pair of base hits by Cade Hentz and Will Gale, set up Justin Nadeau set up with a RBI double to increase the lead to 9-3. Blake DeLamielleure was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Abdriel Delgado once again proved to be dangerous hitting a two run single to make the lead 11-3.
 
Going into the bottom of the ninth, the score remained 11-3 as Chris Lotito came out to relieve Peyton Prescott. Chris struck out two and got a ground out to end the game.
 
With season off to a 2-0 start, Coach Hayes reflected on the opening day doubleheader: "It was a good day at the plate, very proud of Abdriel who is coming back from injury, he was outstanding, and overall just happy with the work we had at the plate."
 
Three Strikes: Game 1

1. Tyrell Brewer went 3-4 in his first game as a Dolphin.
2. Evan Chrest punched out seven Bearcat batters.
3. Josh Steidl hit the first home run of the season for Jacksonville on a walk off.  

Three Strikes: Game 2

1. Jaden Bastian hit a home run on the first pitch he saw as a collegian hitter.
2. Peyton Prescott shined in his relief appearance throwing four innings of no hit ball and striking out six batters while giving up zero runs.
3. Abdriel Delgado ended the double header with 11 RBI's between the two games.

 
On Deck:
 
Jacksonville Baseball will try to complete their sweep of the Bearcats on Sunday at John Sessions Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 11:00 am. Coach Hayes on the Sunday matchup: "Really want to see a solid showing from Richie Long and I hope our guys are ready to play Sunday because they are facing a really good ball club, who is ready to go to battle."