The UNF baseball team swept the Stetson Hatters 17-0 and 6-1 in a double header Saturday, May 15 at Harmon Stadium to clinch a spot to play in the Atlantic Sun Conference tournament.

The Ospreys’ pitching maintained much of the defense during both games, allowing only five hits during the first game and one run in the second game.

Southpaw Michael Kelly only allowed the Hatters to squeeze in a merciful one run during the first inning of the second game but was quick to shatter the Hatter’s confidence with only limited attempts at getting past the senior’s, seasoned, arsenal of pitches.

“This is our last opportunity for us seniors to pitch here at home,” Kelly said. “I just wanted to give my team a chance to compete for the win.”

The Ospreys’ offense also answered back later in the game with a series of homeruns.

Right-fielder Preston Hale triggered the second game into action with a deep homerun out of centerfield in the sixth inning, followed by TJ Thompson with another homerun during the seventh inning, but catcher David Eldredge sealed the deal with a three-run homer in the eighth.

It isn’t over for the Ospreys, yet, as they will be fighting for another victory against Stetson Sunday May 15 at 12:30 p.m.

Saturday’s game was especially important for coach Dusty Rhodes and his seniors considering they were not expecting to make the post playoffs unless they received this win.

“For these guys that are seniors today, they came here with the idea they knew they weren’t going to be able to play for postseason until this year,” Rhodes said. “So, it had to be the situation where we needed to get there, just for those guys.”

Rhodes said this was a “main game” for the Ospreys and could potentially put them in a position for an Atlantic Sun Conference championship.

“Now we’re Division II … we had to sit out all those years, and now we’re going back to where we belong,” Rhodes said. “We belong in postseason play.”