Box Score DeLand, Fla. ? With one out and runners at second and third in the bottom of the fifth the Ospreys decided to walk Jeremy Cruz (Miami, Fla.) and load the bases. The next batter, Aaron Crittenden (Fort Myers, Fla.) made them pay by blasting a grand slam deep over the right field wall and giving the Hatters a 6-4 lead. In the end however, the lead did not hold up and Stetson (22-25, 11-12) dropped a 10-inning battle 11-9 to North Florida (19-25, 12-11) at Melching Field.
UNF scored a pair of runs in the top of the seventh to tie the game, and then went ahead 9-6 with three more in the top of the ninth. Stetson showed tremendous determination by scoring three dramatic runs of its own in the bottom half of the ninth to tie the score one more time. Cruz, Crittenden, and Nick Rickles (Loxahatchee, Fla.) all came up with key hits to spark the rally. After reaching third base Rickles had a chance to score the winning run when he took off for home on a Frank Florio (Long Valley, NJ) ground ball to the pitcher. It was not to be however, and UNF followed with a two-run home run in the top of the 10th inning to win the game.
Nick Bohne (Melbourne, Fla.), Stetsons sixth pitcher of the game took the loss and dropped to 3-2 on the season. Spencer Jones (Jacksonville, Fla.) picked up the win to raise his mark to 2-1.
In addition to Crittenden's three hits, Cruz, Rickles, and Florio each delivered two hits for the Hatters.
Stetson and North Florida will return to Melching Field Sunday at 1:00 p.m. to complete the series. 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.
