JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – In the second meeting between UNF and Jacksonville, the Dolphins fell in a nine-inning slugfest 6-5. Jacksonville (15-17, 2-6)  jumped out to an early 1-0 lead and later shot the lead up to a 5-2 score, but were unable to match the Ospreys down the stretch. 

In her return to the lineup after an injury, Averi Harcus wasted no time making her presence known with an RBI single in her first at bat. 

Down 2-1 in the fifth, Madison Bratek knocked in the tying run on a single followed by an Alison Carter double that scored a trio of runners.

In the seventh, UNF pushed the score to 5-4 before later tying the game at five apiece. 

Both teams were held scoreless in the eighth before a UNF single in the ninth made it a do-or-don't situation for the home team. Bratek got on base with a single and Carter hit another single to put runners on the corners. Carter then stole second with Harcus up to bat with two outs.

A hard-hit ball to right just barely didn't have enough juice to leave the park and the Dolphins fell.

Bratek finished with her second straight three-hit game, her fifth of the season. Carter went 2-4 and led the team with her three RBIs.

In total, the Dolphins finished with 10 hits to UNF's 12.

In the circle, Skylar Waggoner (3-6) went the full nine innings, fanning four after facing 38 batters.

Making the start at second, Raygan Dixon flashed her glove a pair of times including a diving catch in the first. On the basepath, Bratek swiped a pair of bags. Carter and pinch runner Reese Wells also stole a base each.

The Dolphins have now played two nine-inning games in back-to-back conference matchups, and have lost both by a score of 6-5.

JU gets one final crack at the Ospreys on Saturday, March 29 with first pitch scheduled for 7 p.m. Following the series with North Florida, Jacksonville will travel to West Georgia starting on April 5.
 
GAME NOTES

• Jacksonville went 4-for-13 (.308) with runners in scoring position.
• Jacksonville pitchers faced 44 North Florida hitters in the game, allowing seven ground balls and 12 fly balls while striking out four.