Jacksonville, Fla. – After being blanked for seven innings by UNF junior left-hander Tyler DuPont, the Stetson Hatters came to life in the eighth, but their rally proved to be too little, too late in a 5-3 loss to the Ospreys.

Stetson (17-17, 1-4) will go into the series finale for a second straight Atlantic Sun Conference weekend hoping to avoid getting swept. UNF improved to 23-14 overall and 4-4 in league play with its ninth consecutive home win.

After managing just four base-runners through the first seven innings against DuPont (3-2), with no more than one in any inning, the Hatters showed signs of life in the eighth. Charlie Watters opened the inning with a single and Jack Machonis followed with a walk. After Colton Lightner and Vance Vizcaino had fly balls knocked down by persistent 20 miles-per-hour winds, it looked as if the UNF lefty might get out of the jam.

Stetson's Matt Morales, however, got a two-out single to score Watters and end the day for DuPont.

UNF turned to sidewinder Matthew Naylor to get the final out, but he walked pinch-hitter Will Mackenzie to load the bases.

The Ospreys immediately called on All-Conference closer Corbin Olmstead, but Cory Reid met the hard-throwing right-hander with a single to right, scoring a pair of runs and closing the Hatters' deficit to 5-3. Olmstead, however did his job by retiring freshman Jacob Koos to end the inning.

UNF got its offense going early against Stetson starter Mitchell Jordan (3-5). Keith Skinner, who leads the A-Sun in hitting with a .424 average, started the second inning with the first of his three hits in the game. Nick Karmeris followed with a hit single through the right side to give the Ospreys runners on the corners.

After getting Alex Merritt on strikes, UNF's Chris Berry laced a ball past first base into the right field corner for a two-run triple. Kyle Brooks followed, with the Hatters' infield drawn in, with a chopper over Cory Reid at third to drive in the third run.

The Ospreys got an insurance run in the sixth when Skinner singled, went to third on a double by Merritt and then scored on a wild pitch from Jordan.

UNF added another run in the seventh as the Hatters sent four different pitchers to the mound. Tyler Keller opened the inning by retiring the first two Ospreys, but Dakota Higdon delivered a two-out single to get things started for UNF. Kevin Fagan came in to pitch to Olmstead, who delivered a hit on the first pitch he saw.

With two-on and two-out, Ben Onyshko came in to face the left-handed hitting Skinner, who singled up the middle to drive in Higdon. Nick Karmeris followed with a ground ball to first, but neither Onyshko or Watters could get to the bag in time for the out.

Walker Sheller then came on to get Merritt to end the inning and avoid further damage.

The Hatters finished the day with just six hits off UNF pitchers. Reid had three of those to give him four of Stetson's 10 hits in the series. Skinner led the Ospreys' 13-hit attack while Higdon and Karmeris had two hits each.