Ballparks, big and small, celebrated Star Wars Day on Friday night with all sorts of gimmicks and sound effects. Stetson was no different. Few others, however, could boast of having a force on the mound like the Hatters' tandem of Logan Gilbert and Brooks Wilson, who combined to hold Jacksonville to one hit in a 2-1 victory.
 
For Stetson (36-11, 10-3) the win was the Hatters' sixth straight overall and was the 10^th one-run victory of the season. The Hatters are now 27-3 at Melching Field this year. Jacksonville (31-15, 8-5) now has to defeat Stetson twice this weekend to keep pace with the Hatters in the race for the ASUN regular season title.
 
Gilbert (8-1) was dominant from the start, getting six strikeouts the first time through the JU order with only a hit batter on a ball that may have brushed the jersey of Chris Lehane in the first, preventing Gilbert from being perfect through the first four innings.
 
JU starter Chris Gau (6-3) was almost as good. He retired the first six Stetson hitters before Jonathan Meola led off the third with a single just behind the bag at third base. After Meola stole second, freshman Kyle Ball delivered an RBI single to right center and took advantage of the Dolphins' throw home to take second base.
 
That proved to be big when sophomore Jorge Arenas dropped a two-out single into center, scoring Ball for a 2-0 lead.
 
JU ended Gilbert's no-hit bid, as well as his shutout, when senior Sam Armstrong got a hanging slider leading off the fourth inning and launched it out to right for a solo home run, his fifth of the year.
 
Gilbert walked the next JU hitter, but then retired 12 of the next 13, with another walk in the seventh. He closed his night the same way he started it, with a strikeout. His 12 strikeouts on the night give him 121 on the year, just 12 shy of breaking Lenny DiNardo's school season record of 132 set in 2000.
 
Wilson came on to work a perfect ninth inning to pick up his 17^th save of the year, once again moving into a tie for not only the ASUN lead, but the NCAA lead, with Jacksonville freshman Chris Mauloni. Wilson is one save shy of tying the Stetson season mark of 18 set by Robbie Powell in 2012. The NCAA record for saves in a season, 24 by UCLA's David Berg in 2013, is certainly within range.
 
Gau went the distance for JU, allowing just the two runs on four hits with eight strikeouts. Ball was the only player with multiple hits in the game, picking up a two-out single in the eighth.
 
The Hatters will go for a series win on Saturday evening when junior Jack Perkins (7-2, 3.11) squares off against Dolphins' sophomore Tyler Santana (8-1, 3.06) in what promises to be another pitchers' duel.
 
The game Saturday is scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. first pitch and will be broadcast on ESPN3.
 
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.