JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – You couldn't have written a better script.
After a walk-off winner Friday night to push a rubber match final against FGCU, Jacksonville walked it off again Saturday afternoon on senior day, 2-1, to clinch the series over the Eagles and send the playoff-bound Dolphins into the postseason on a two-game win streak.
Jacksonville won the season series over FGCU 4-2 and enters the ASUN Championship Tournament, starting Tuesday May 19 in DeLand, with a 29-24 record and a 16-14 ASUN conference mark.
The Dolphins and the Eagles entered the bottom of the ninth tied at one. And a whacky final ensued in what had been a rollercoaster ride series for both teams.
Sammy Mummau started the inning with a walk, followed by a
Roger Vergara single to left. A rare balk then loaded the bases with no outs for the 'Phins. That changed in an instant with a line-out double play at third to flip the inning on its head.
Senior
Sam Grunberg collected a single to move to first and advance Vergara to third. Senior
Abdriel Delgado then drew another walk to load the bags once more when
Conner Spelman stepped up to the plate.
With two-outs, senior day on the line and a series win in grasp, Spelman cast his spell with a bullet to left field that saw the Dolphin dugout mob the field for the second time in two days.
Spelman was spectacular at the plate Saturday, leading the 'Phins with a 3-5 showing. His previous 11-game hit streak was snapped the night before, but he enters the playoffs with a trio of hits under his belt, a walk-off and found confidence at the plate.
Jacksonville amassed nine hits on the day, out-hitting FGCU 9-3. Grunberg, who previously was without a hit in the series, went 2-4 with a walk in his final game in John Sessions Stadium. All nine of JU's hits came from the the top six batters in the lineup for the home side.
From the leadoff, Mummau went just 1-1 at the plate but drew an eye-popping four walks. Mummau drew half of the team's eight walks over the course of the game.
Continuing his hot hitting from the previous night,
Derek Bermudez started the day with a solo blast to left to get JU ahead 1-0 in the bottom of the first. It was then on the JU pitching staff to keep FGCU off the bases.
Payton Waters got the start, going two innings and fanning three.
Gavin Dicks went 2 2/3s, striking out a trio as well.
Ben Baker-Livingston went 2 1/3, facing eight batters, striking out two and allowing only a single base runner via a walk.
Grant Brooks and
Dominic Pieto closed out the game with Brooks going an inning with two Ks. Pieto won his third of the season behind an inning of work, with a strikeout.
FGCU had been held to one run just two times prior to Saturday's game, once by Jacksonville itself back in April. The Eagles' 11 strikeouts were tied for its fifth worst game this season and only third time in ASUN play with 11 or more strikeouts.
The FGCU pitching staff walking eight batters counted for the fourth worst showing by the Eagles all season, all to the benefit of the home side with families in attendance for the final home game inside the sunbaked Sessions Stadium stands.
Jacksonville used an unconventional lineup to get the team the win, starting
Manuel Souffrain at first and Bermudez at third with
Archer Ogbourne in center. Bermudez played third base for the first time all season. In fact, he was the first player not named
Logan Baratta to play the hot corner.
JU enters the playoffs winners of two after dropping five of its last six. The momentum will carry into Tuesday, where the Dolphins await their opponent and game time in the first-round of the single-elimination playoff bracket. Head coach
Chris Hayes' team will have to win a pair of games before they place themselves in the double-elimination portion of the bracket. The Dolphins are looking to win their first ASUN crown since 2021.
No matter what happens in the tournament, Jacksonville will always have its pair of walk-off winners in the final series of the season. All the team's 13 seniors will always have their weekend walk-off winners.
You couldn't have written it better.
