Featured Image: Justin Nedrow

In the 40th and final game of the regular season, the Ospreys and the Hatters met in a low-scoring affair at Harmon Stadium. With this being the Osprey’s senior night, UNF used late-inning heroics from a veteran to get the job done.

Ricky Presno, Tanner Clark, Blake Marabell, Eddie Miller and Brandon Reitz were the seniors who were honored pre-game as they will pass the torch to their younger teammates after this season. With pregame festivities brought to an end, it was time to play ball.

 Blake Marabell’s three hits on the day were crucial as the Ospreys squeaked past the Hatters 3-2 (Justin Nedrow)

Stetson struck first, driving in one of their two runs of the day with a little bit of small ball. Hatter batter Andrew MacNeil singled to lead off the game, got to second on a steal, and used two groundouts to advance home. The Hatters would get their other run of the game just a couple innings later in the fourth, with three singles in a row to finish their day of scoring.

The Ospreys would calm down at this point and only allow one more Stetson hit the rest of the game. As their pitching improved, their bats got hot as Aidan Sweatt got the Ospreys on the board with a sac fly that scored Blake Marabell.

With the Ospreys being down only one run, Marabell would record his second hit of the day, as he drove in an RBI single to left field that would tie things up in the bottom of the fifth. This wouldn’t be the end of Marabell’s day.

With both teams trying to find a way to put this game away, the Ospreys would find their knockout punch. Marabell sent a 2-1 pitch to deep left that cleared the wall easily to give the Ospreys their first lead of the game at 3-2.

Fellow senior Brandon Reitz was on duty to come up in the top of the ninth to try and record the save, and a 1-2-3 inning later, the Ospreys would come out on top.

With Miller getting the win, Marabell’s heroics and Reitz’s save, the Osprey seniors had a great day as the Ospreys find the win column to end the regular season. The closeout win gives the Ospreys momentum as UNF will play game one of the ASUN Divisional Series against Stetson Friday, May 21 at 6:05 p.m. Follow UNF Spinnaker for more UNF baseball coverage.

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