Jacksonville, Fla. – It was a pretty typical scenario for the Stetson baseball team on Saturday afternoon at Harmon Stadium in a 5-3 victory over North Florida.
 
Outstanding starting pitching, solid defense and just enough timely hitting, including a two-run single by senior catcher Austin Hale in the ninth inning, proved to be the difference as Stetson improved to 33-11 on the year, 8-3 in ASUN play, while clinching a series win over UNF (19-21, 4-7).
 
The solid starting pitching came from junior Jack Perkins (7-2) who allowed just one run on seven hits over seven innings of work with two walks and five strikeouts. Perkins was able to strand 10 Ospreys on base, including leaving the bases loaded in both the first and fifth innings.
 
Senior Brooks Wilson came on out of the pen to work the final two innings. Despite allowing a pair of runs on three hits in the ninth, Wilson closed out the game for his 16^th save of the year. He had three strikeouts over his two innings of work, leaving him with 299 in his career.
 
The Hatters broke on top in the third inning when sophomore Austin Bogart ripped the first pitch he saw from UNF starter Austin Drury (3-2) over the scoreboard in left for his second home run of the year.
 
Stetson was able to manufacture a run in the fifth inning when Eric Foggo was bit by a pitch and Bogart walked to open the inning. Hale delivered a sacrifice bunt to set up Jorge Arenas, who plated Foggo with a ground ball.
 
UNF cut the Stetson led in half in the bottom of the inning, getting a two-out single from Blake Voyles to score Max Law, who led off the inning with a single. After hitting a batter to load the bases, Perkins got Mac Wilson to hit a ground ball to first to end the inning.
 
The Hatters pushed their lead to 3-1 in the seventh on consecutive doubles from Foggo and Bogart.
 
Stetson got much needed insurance in the top of the ninth off reliever Cooper Bradford. Foggo and Bogart were once again the catalysts, drawing consecutive walks to open the inning. Bradford was called for a balk to move both runners into scoring position for Hale, who delivered with a single to left, scoring both runners.
 
Things got dicey in the bottom of the inning when Dalton Board reached on a one-out hit and Tanner Murphy followed with a walk. Jay Prather singled up the middle to score a run and then, after getting his second strikeout of the inning, Wilson surrendered a two-out RBI single to Chris Berry.
 
With the tying runs on base, Wilson got the final out on a ground ball to first to secure the Stetson win.
 
The Hatters managed just five hits in the game, with two from Bogart and one each from Wilson, Foggo and Hale. Murphy, Voyles and Law had two hits each for the Ospreys.
 
Stetson will try to secure the series sweep on Sunday when sophomore Mitchell Senger (5-2, 2.59) takes the mound against UNF senior right-hander Brad Deppermann (0-3, 5.77). It was Deppermann who took the loss in the series opener, allowing the winning run to score in the 11^th inning of a 4-3 Stetson victory.
 
The series finale is set for a 1 p.m. start and will be broadcast on ESPN+.
 
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.