Jacksonville, Fla. – On a cold, windy, night in the river city, the Stetson Hatters struggled with mental and physical errors, but still did enough to defeat home-standing Jacksonville 7-5 at John Sessions Stadium to take the series.
The Hatters improved to 18-9 overall on the season with the win as well as 4-1 in ASUN Conference play. Jacksonville fell to 6-17 overall and remained winless at 0-5 in league play.
Stetson was charged with three errors in the game, but had problems in multiple areas. Base-running mistakes and the inability to get bunts down cost the Hatters chances to add to their scoring total in the game.
But the Hatters continued to show they are improving as an offensive team with 11 hits in the game with
Kyle Ball,
Hernen Sardinas and
Eric Foggo all accounting for multiple hits.
Redshirt junior
Chris Gonzalez bounced back from consecutive rough outings to earn the victory. He allowed all five Jacksonville runs on eight hits over six innings.
Nick Long and little brother
Jonathan Gonzalez got the game to within one out of a conclusion before
Danny Garcia came in, threw one pitch, and picked up the save.
Jack Carver took the loss for the Dolphins, coming in to pitch the sixth inning with JU leading 5-3, surrendering three runs on four hits in his one inning of work.
The Hatters, who haven't swept a three-game weekend series from the Dolphins since 2001, will try to complete that task in the series finale on Saturday afternoon. The game is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start.
Game Facts
Scoring Summary
- T1 – Andrew MacNeil opened the game with a single to center for the Hatters. Hernen Sardinas and Brandon Hylton loaded the bases with consecutive one-out walks before Eric Foggo doubled to left, driving in a pair of runs.
- B2 – Jacksonville drew even after singles by Duncan Hunter and Cory Heffron. After a fielder's choice play failed to produce an out, the Dolphins got consecutive sacrifice flies from Jackson Grabsky and Jesus Pacheco to tie the game at 2-2.
- T5 – The Hatters regained the lead after Hylton led off the inning with a double off the first base bag. Foggo moved him to third with a fly ball to right before Camden Traficante delivered a sacrifice fly for a 3-2 Stetson lead.
- B5 – Jacksonville came right back, scoring three runs on four singles, a ground out and a throwing error.
- T6 – Christian Pregent reached on a hot smash past JU shortstop Dakota Julyla before Dolphins reliever Jack Carver hit MacNeil and Kyle Ball with consecutive pitches. Sardinas ripped a single over first base, scoring two runs to tie the score at 5-5. Hylton plated the go-ahead run with a ground out in the infield to put Stetson back on top 6-5.
- T7 – The Hatters added an insurance run on a sacrifice fly by Jorge Arenas, scoring Foggo, who was hit by a pitch to start the inning.
Hatters Notes
- MacNeil was hit by a pitch for the10th time this year and the 43rd time in his career. Ball was hit for the 19th time in his career. Foggo joined in, getting hit for the 13th time in his career. Jake Murphy also got hit by a pitch in the game.
- The four hit batters was not the most in a game for Stetson this year. The Hatters were hit five times on February 27 in a game against North Alabama.
- With his two runs scored in the game, MacNeil surpassed his own previous career best for runs scored in a season and moved past Arizona's Branden Boissiere for the NCAA lead.
- Ball put together his second straight three-hit game, something he had only done twice before in his Stetson career.
- With the victory on Friday, Stetson has now won 13 of the last 20 regular season series from Jacksonville and improved to 93-86-2 all-time against the Dolphins.
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.
