JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville Baseball opened its Easter Series with a win over Stetson on Thursday night at John Sessions Stadium, using a fast start and a four-arm effort on the mound to take game one.
The Dolphins struck first and never trailed, scoring twice in the opening frame before adding insurance late behind a four-RBI night from
Conner Spelman.
Gavin Dicks made the start and worked four innings, allowing just one run on two hits, while
Grant Brooks,
Scout Updike, and
Ayden Phillips combined for five scoreless innings out of the bullpen. Updike earned his first win of the season, while Phillips closed the door to secure his first career save.
Spelman provided the big swing early and late, finishing 2-for-4 with a double, a home run, and four RBIs.
Derek Bermudez added two hits and scored twice, while Jacksonville totaled six hits on the night.
How It Happened
The Dolphins came out swinging in the first.
Cade Walter worked a full-count walk to open the game, and
Derek Bermudez followed with a single through the left side to put two on.
Conner Spelman jumped on an inside pitch and ripped it down the left field line for a two-RBI double, giving Jacksonville a 2-0 lead. His eight doubles are good for first on the team, and top ten in the ASUN.
With the bases loaded and no outs, the Dolphins worked out of the jam.
Logan Baratta fielded a ground ball at third and cut down the runner at the plate for the first out. Moments later, Juan De La Cruz lined a ball back up the middle, but
Gavin Dicks snagged it and fired to first to complete an inning-ending double play.
Jacksonville continued to apply pressure throughout the middle innings, consistently barreling baseballs.
Roger Vergara squared up multiple balls, including a deep fly to the warning track in right, before reaching on a swinging bunt later in the game.
On the mound, the Dolphins settled in. From innings three to nine, the Dolphins' pitching staff surrendered one hit among the six innings.
Dicks worked through four innings before turning it over to Brooks, who delivered a scoreless fifth. Updike followed with two clean innings, highlighted by efficient command and weak contact, earning his first win of the season.
About the effort from the bullpen, head coach Chris Hayes said, "They're pounding the zone, they're not putting people on for free, and we played really clean defense behind them."
Jacksonville exploded in the eighth.
With two outs, Vergara reached and stole his fifth base of the season, before Bermudez delivered an RBI single to center to extend the lead. Later in the inning, Spelman struck again, turning on a pitch and sending it down the left field line for a two-run home run to make it 5-1.
Phillips took over in the ninth and shut the door, recording the final outs to secure the win. After his first career save, the two-way freshman credits his teammates for making it easy for him, saying "After my first inning, Derek came up big and then Spelman just took all the pressure off of me." He adds "all I had to do was come in and be me."
Jacksonville improves to 14-16 overall and 3-7 in ASUN play with the victory. The lefty ace
Alex Walsh is set to take the mound Friday at 7:00 p.m., as the Dolphins look to take the series and gain ground in the ASUN standings.
