Box Score DeLand, Fla. ? Starting pitcher Andy Mauldin (Gainesville, Fla.) scattered seven hits over five innings, struck out four batters and allowed just one run to lead Stetson (22-24, 11-11) to a 14-1 win over the University of North Florida (18-25, 11-11) in the opening game of the Atlantic Sun Conference series. Mauldin raised his record to 2-4 on the season, and the Hatters extended their season-high winning streak to five games.
Sophomore third baseman Sean Emory (Miami, Fla.) led the offense going 4-for-6 at the plate with two RBI and two runs scored. Freshman Mark Jones (Palm Coast, Fla.) was 3-for-5 with a walk and two RBI. As a team Stetson connected on 17 hits with just one going for extra bases; a double by Jacob deGrom (DeLeon Springs, Fla.) in the bottom of the eighth.
Stetson entered the eighth inning up 5-1 and proceeded to add nine more runs. The Hatters sent 15 batters to the plate. In addition to his double in the inning, deGrom added an RBI single through the right side. In all, a procession of four Osprey pitchers marched on, and then off the mound and gave up seven hits, four walks and hit one batter.
Stetson opened the scoring with single runs in the first and second innings. As it turned out, that was all it would need. Emory led off the first with a single to right field and eventually scored on a groundout by the A-Sun's top RBI man Jeremy Cruz (Miami, Fla.). In the second, Nick Rickles (Loxahatchee, Fla.) led of with an infield single and ended up scoring on another RBI groundout, this time by deGrom.
Three Hatter pitchers relieved Mauldin and pitched four scoreless and hitless innings. Ryan Sweat (Debary, Fla.) tossed two complete striking out two, Ian Thompson (St. Petersburg, Fla.) threw the eighth, and Robbie Powell (Punta Gorda, Fla.) polished off an outstanding team pitching performance facing three batters and striking out one.
North Florida's #1 starter John Frawley (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) was knocked around for five innings. He gave up five runs and 10 hits, and lost for just the second time this season against six wins.
Stetson and North Florida will return to Melching Field Saturday at 7:00 p.m. and Sunday at 1:00 p.m. Stetson fans can hear all the games on Hatter Vision found at www.gohatters.com. The voice of Hatters baseball Bill Topping will call the action. Tickets for all Stetson home games can be purchased on line at gohatters.com or at the gate on game day.
