UNF Defeats Lipscomb and Jacksonville to Advance to Finals

Drew McDonald, Sports Editor

Game 1

Ospreys Take Down Lipscomb 7-6 in a thrilling comeback victory.

Khorri Netwon
Ospreys beats the Bisons in a close 7-6 game.

The Bisons scored first in the third inning when Brad Depperman walked Jake Perry with the bases loaded, allowing Blake Thomas to score for the 1-0 lead. Lipscomb added another run in the fourth inning when Josh Martinez scored on a wild pitch, 2-0 Bisons. In the fifth, Chris Berry had an RBI groundout with the bases loaded, which scored Rey Gonzalez. Dalton Board followed with a two-run single to center to give the Ospreys a 3-2 lead. The Bisons tied it up in the sixth with an RBI double by Blake Thomas. Jeffrey Crisan launched a two-run homer over the scoreboard in left in the sixth. Josh Martinez added an insurance run with an RBI single, making it 6-3 Lipscomb. In the eighth inning, Max Law connected on a pinch-hit sac fly that scored Mac Wilson, 6-4 Lipscomb. Chris Berry singled to right to plate Jay Prather, and Tanner Murphy connected on a two-run single to give the Ospreys a 7-6 lead. Matt Vaka slammed the door in the top of the ninth to cement the Ospreys win.

At the Plate

Dalton Board, Tanner Murphy, Jay Prather, and Chris Matthias all had multi-hit games. Tanner Murphy saved a run in the top of the second when he leaped and robbed Tevin Symonette of a home run at the center field wall.

On the Mound

Brad Depperman toed the rubber in game one, throwing six innings and allowing five earned runs, 10 hits, and striking out four. Matt Vaka came in relief and had a solid performance. Vaka threw three shutout innings allowing two hits and striking out two while earning his first win of the season.

Game 2

UNF’s offense backed up their lights out pitching to propel toward the ASUN Championship against Stetson.

After a Chris Berry doubles in the fourth, Dalton Board moved him up on a sacrifice bunt. Tanner Murphy plated Berry with a groundout to take a 1-0 lead. JU generated some offense in the fourth when Sam Armstrong lined a single to right to score Scott Dubrule, tying the game at one apiece. Chris Matthias brought the lumber in the fifth as he hit a solo homer over the left field scoreboard to take a 2-1 lead. In the sixth, Chris Berry scored on a fielding error to extend the lead to 3-1. Angel Camacho scored on a wild pitch in the sixth, the score now 3-2 Ospreys. Blake Voyles busted the gates wide open with a bases-clearing double in the eighth, padding the lead to 6-2 UNF.

On the Mound

Ethan Michaelis earned his third win of the season, throwing five and two-thirds innings, allowing an earned run and striking out five. After Michaelis exited the game, Trace Norkus was lockdown earning his third save. Norkus’ final line was three and a third shutout inning, allowing no hits and striking out five.

At the Plate

Chris Berry was the lone batter to record a multi-hit game with two hits. Voyles’ led the team in RBI’s with three after his bases-clearing double in the eighth. Tanner Murphy drove in two runs and Chris Matthias drove in one, himself on the solo homer.

The Ospreys take on Stetson on Saturday, May 26 in the final matchup of the ASUN Baseball Championship at Harmon Stadium at 1 p.m.

Photos by Khorri Newton


For more information or news tips, or if you see an error in this story or have any compliments or concerns, contact [email protected].