The Stetson Hatters got another strong seven inning performance on the mound from junior Logan Gilbert on Friday night at Melching Field, backed by seniors Ben Onyshko and Brooks Wilson, to take a 5-2 victory over visiting Richmond in the series opener with the Spiders.
 
The teams are scheduled to play game two of the series on Saturday evening but, with rain in the forecast for Sunday, the coaches will get together early Saturday morning to discuss whether a double-header will be in order for the day.
 
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Gilbert improved to 3-0 on the season by holding a good hitting Richmond club to just four hits, and two runs, over his seven innings of work. He walked two and struck out six in the win. Onyshko pitched a perfect eighth inning and Wilson worked a perfect ninth to earn his national best sixth save of the year.
 
It was not until the fifth inning that the Hatters (11-1) were able to get on the scoreboard against Richmond starter Tim Miller (1-2). Nico Torino led off the inning with a hustle double which Jacob Koos followed with a single to right. Mike Spooner then delivered a two-run single to plate both Torino and Koos.
 
Later in the inning Spooner was able to score from third on a ground out by Jorge Arenas to put Stetson in front 3-0.
 
The Spiders (7-5) answered right back in the sixth, taking advantage of a pair of Gilbert walks to score a run on a bloop single behind first base that was just out of reach of three Stetson defenders. A second Richmond run scored in the inning on a passed ball, cutting the Stetson lead to 3-2.
 
The Hatters got those two runs back in the seventh inning off Richmond reliever Collin Lowe. Koos opened the inning with a triple into the right field corner and then scored on a Spooner single through the middle of the drawn in infield. After a walk and a passed ball, Andrew MacNeil delivered a single to score Spooner with the final run of the game.
 
Koos had his second straight three hit game and scored twice while Spooner had three hits and drove in three. Torino also had a pair of hits in the game as the Hatters had their second straight outing with double-figure hit totals.
 
The trio of Stetson pitchers held Richmond to just four hits on the night, and three of those came on bloops that found open real estate in the outfield.
 
The win was the sixth straight for the Hatters, the first time a Stetson team has won as many as six in a row since the 2011 team had streaks of six, eight and nine wins.
 
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.