The Stetson baseball team will return to its pursuit of an ASUN title this weekend when the Hatters face North Florida in a three-game series at Melching Field.
 
The two teams were originally scheduled to play last weekend, but the series was canceled due to a Covid outbreak on the Stetson team. The Hatters (19-9, 5-1) have been away from competition since dropping a 7-6 decision at Florida on April 6. This weekend was originally scheduled to be an ASUN South Division round-robin, but was changed to allow the Hatters and Ospreys to make up their missed series.
 
UNF (9-15, 3-3) played on Tuesday, dropping an 8-6 decision at Georgia Southern. The Ospreys opened ASUN play by sweeping cross-town rival Jacksonville, but they suffered a sweep at the hands of FGCU in the second week of league play.
 
The games are scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday. All three games will be available on ESPN+. Saturday's game will be the Stetson Baseball vs Cancer game, with donations being collected to help fight Pediatric Brain Cancer. The Hatters have a goal of raising $5,000 to join with other college baseball programs in the effort to raise money and attention.
 
The all-time series between Stetson and North Florida dates back to April of 1988 and the Hatters own a 31-23 lead, including a 17-12 advantage on games played in DeLand. The series has been very streaky over the last several years. Stetson had won nine in a row before UNF snapped the streak in 2019. Prior to that run by the Hatters, the Ospreys had a seven-game win streak between 2014 and 2016.
 
Prior to the season being interrupted, redshirt junior Kyle Ball had hit in nine consecutive games and has also reached back in 21 straight games. His nine-game streak is tied with Brandon Hylton for the longest streak for the Hatters this year. Ball was the last Stetson player to hit in 10 straight games, doing that in 2019.
 
His streak of games having reached base is the longest streak for a Stetson player since Vance Vizcaino reached base in 27 straight games during the 2016 season.
 
The Hatters have a couple of players looking for milestones, including graduate Jorge Arenas, who is one hit away from 200 in his career. Arenas is also just six total bases shy of 300 for his career. Friday's game will also be the 200^th career game for Hernen Sardinas.
 
The North Florida roster includes former Stetson standout Austin Bogart, who moved on to play at UNF after completing his degree at Stetson in 2019. Bogart played in almost 150 games in his Stetson career
 
He missed the abbreviated 2020 season with an injury, but has played in 19 games for the Ospreys this year. In addition to playing center field and hitting in the middle of the UNF batting order, Bogart has pitched in six games, starting five.
 
Stetson will return with redshirt freshman Nick Durgin (5-1, 2.62) taking the mound for the series opener against the Ospreys on Friday. Durgin has been dominant in his two prior ASUN starts, working a combined 14 inning while allowing just two runs on eight hits with 17 strikeouts.
 
Redshirt junior Chris Gonzalez (3-1, 6.07) has not had the same level of fortune in his last three starts, allowing 20 earned runs on 25 hits over 14 innings. He has also allowed five walks in those three outings.
 
Redshirt sophomore Bret Neilan (1-1, 4.08) will get the ball for the series finale. He has pitched well in two ASUN starts, allowing four earned runs on 14 hits over 10 innings of work.
 
UNF, which dropped a mid-week game to Georgia Southern after joining Stetson in an unaccepted off week last weekend, is 9-15 overall this year and 3-3 in ASUN play.
 
The Ospreys will send sophomore LHP Tony Roca (1-1, 3.55) to the mound for the opener and will follow with redshirt junior RHP Max McKinley (3-2, 5.65) on Saturday and will have former Hatter Austin Bogart (1-2, 4.55) on the hill for the finale. None of the three has ever pitched against Stetson in a game.
 
 
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.