Jacksonville, Fla. – After being held to just one run in Friday's series opener, the Stetson baseball team exploded for 17 runs on 18 hits, including four home runs, on Saturday to even their ASUN series against Jacksonville with a 17-5 victory.
 
It was the most runs in a game for the Hatters since a 17-0 victory over Bethune-Cookman on April 29, 2015.
 
"We had a good approach, building off what we did last night," Hatters coach Steve Trimper said. "I thought we barreled some balls up last night, but just hit it right at them. Tonight, we just kept putting the ball in play, finding the barrels and having good swings."
 
With the win, Stetson improved to 21-26 overall, but more importantly, 9-5 in ASUN play. The Hatters are two games behind Jacksonville (27-19, 11-3) in the league race. The Dolphins are again tied for first place with North Florida, which defeated USC Upstate on Saturday to even that series.
 
The offensive fireworks started early. Jack Gonzalez launched his team-leading sixth home run of the year, a two-run shot, off JU starter Casey Kulina (3-1) in the first inning to get the Hatters on the board. Mike Spooner pushed the Hatters' lead to 3-0 with a solo shot in the third inning, his fifth of the year.
 
"We didn't strikeout much tonight and we drew seven walks and everyone chipped in," Trimper said. "That was nice to see. Jack Gonzalez, in the first inning with the two out home run, was nice because it got us going right off the bat."
 
JU got off the matt in the home half of that inning, scoring five times off Stetson starter Jack Perkins (5-4). Five consecutive Dolphins reached base to start the frame with Nathan Koslowski's two-run homer accounting for the first JU runs. After a walk and a hit batter, Sam Armstrong doubled in two more runs, giving JU a 4-3 lead.
 
It was a lead that would not last long. In the fourth inning, Stetson sent 11 men to the plate against four Jacksonville pitchers, scoring five times on five hits. Colton Lightner, who had his second straight three-hit game greeted reliever Mark Potter with an RBI single, scoring Jorge Arenas. Austin Hale had an RBI double off Shane Wise later in the frame before Austin Bogart chased him with a run-scoring single.
 
"The big thing was that Jack Perkins came out and pitched well early," Trimper said. "He had that one big inning when we lost the lead, but our offense came right back and put a five spot on the board. It wasn't a one, it was five, and you saw that take the wind out of the sails of the JU team. They had just fought back into the game, and then gave it right back.
 
"Jack settled in after that and we kept extending the lead. College baseball is so much about momentum and by continuing to get one or two and then a three-run inning, it broke their back."
 
Perkins had little trouble over his final three innings of work and finished his night with seven strikeouts over six innings.
 
The Hatters continued to play add on after the five run fourth, scoring three in the seventh, one in the eighth and five more in the ninth inning. Hale and Arenas accounted for the runs in the final frame. Hale hit a two-run homer, his fourth of the year, and Arenas had a three-run blast, his third.
 
All nine starters for Stetson had at least one hit in the game. Jacob Koos had two hits, extending his overall hitting streak to 14 games and his streak of games with multiple hits to seven. Bogart and Lightner both had three hits in the game while Hale, Spooner, Arenas and Kirk Sidwell had two hits each. In the two games, Lightner is 6-for-7 at the plate with two walks and three RBI.
 
Koslowski had two hits in the game for JU. The loss for Kulina, a senior, was his first as a college pitcher.
 
"We came here to win a series," Trimper said. "That is tough to do on the road, but we have a chance to do that tomorrow. We want to try to gain some ground on these guys because we are thinking about finishing at the top of the conference. That is our goal, but we have to take these games one at a time and play well. We have a chance to go out tomorrow and win the rubber game to win the series on the road."
 
The Hatters will send sophomore Logan Gilbert (7-0, 2.13) to the mound on Sunday where he will face JU sophomore Chris Gau (2-4, 4.50). The game is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start.
 
About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program has a vision of developing a culture of champions athletically, academically and within the community. This vision is accomplished through a mission of recruiting and developing student-athletes, coaches and staff, creating a culture of champions, within and outside of competition. The department operates with five core values: Championship Culture, Integrity, Excellence, Pride/Tradition and Leadership. To learn more about the Vision, Mission and Core Values for Stetson Athletics, visit GoHatters.com and click on Mission Statement under the Inside Athletics tab.