Wednesday, February 10, 2010

MACON, Ga. - As the 2010 NCAA Baseball season approaches, the Atlantic Sun Conference takes a look at each team leading up to the start of the season Feb. 19. Today the conference takes a look at the UNF Ospreys in Dusty Rhodes’ final season.

Overview
UNF posted a 23-31 overall record a season ago with a mark of 15-15 in conference play to finish seventh in the league standings. The 2010 season marks the final season for the Ospreys under head coach Dusty Rhodes, who has built the program from the ground up over the past 22 seasons. Rhodes holds an all-time record 879-420. UNF named it field after coach Rhodes starting in 2010 as the Ospreys look to improve on an 11-15 home mark from 2009.

Top Returnees
Preston Hale, a unanimous selection to the preseason all-conference team posted a .371 average to lead the Ospreys a season ago. The senior started all 53 games in 2009 driving in 43 runs, hitting 10 home runs while slugging .593. Hale picked up second-team all-conference honors at the end of last season after leading his team in multiple hit games and tying for the team lead in multi-RBI games. Hale led the Ospreys in 2009 in most offensive categories including batting average, slugging percentage, runs scored, hits and RBI.

Andrew Karmeris returns after making 29 starts a season ago with a .333 batting average with two home runs a .455 slugging percentage. Karmeris enters the 2010 season on an 11-game hitting streak posting 13 total multi-hit games in 2009. He posted a .388 on base percentage to rank fifth on the team a season ago.

Michael Kelly returns as one of UNF’s top pitchers after posting seven starts a season ago. The Mayo, Fla. native posted a 2-3 record in 2009 in 10 appearances. The senior left-hander struck out 23 batters a season ago in 36.2 innings pitched and allowed only one home run.

Newcomers
Young pitching will determine UNF’s success during the 2010 season. Freshman newcomers Kyle Westwood, Kyle Finch, Josh Patton, Ryan McMahon and Tommy Organ will play pivotal roles in relief, and possibly as mid-week starters. Casey Medlen and Matt Baran, both junior college transfers, will be important to the Osprey pitching staff in closing roles. Redshirt freshmen Clayton Shultz and Trey Ferrano should have great impact as weekend starters.

Incoming position players include catcher Corey Bass, middle infielder Kerry Hall, and third baseman Ryan Roberson. Bass showed great promise in the fall, hitting .350 in 21 intrasquad games. Kerry Hall has tremendous upside, as the fastest player on the Ospreys’ squad. Ryan Roberson comes in swinging the bat well, and should have a spot in the starting lineup.

Schedule
UNF’s 56-game schedule features 30 home games, including seven home games against teams that competed in the 2009 NCAA Regionals.

The Ospreys boast a solid non-conference schedule to complement its Atlantic Sun Conference slate. Outside of conference, UNF plays schools from perennial powers, such as the ACC, SEC, Big Ten, Big East and Conference USA. Four schools on the schedule finished the 2009 season ranked or receiving votes in one of the final baseball polls.

UNF opens the 2010 season at home with a tournament (Feb. 19-21) that features Ohio State, Richmond and Florida A&M. The Buckeyes made an appearance in the 2009 NCAA Regionals and finished last season ranked No. 25 according to Collegiate Baseball. 

The Ospreys head to Tallahassee for a game against Florida State on Wednesday, Feb. 24. The Seminoles finished the 2009 season in the NCAA Regionals and with a top ranking of No. 10 according to Baseball America.

The Ospreys will compete on Feb. 26-28 in Mobile, Ala., at the Coca-Cola Classic hosted by South Alabama. Aside from the tournament host, UNF will play NCAA Regional participant Wichita State, as well as Eastern Michigan.

Fun Fact
Preston Hale ranks as one of only two returning players in the Atlantic Sun to lead his team in batting average, slugging percentage, runs scored, hits and RBI. Hale also led his team in multi-hit games and tied for team lead in multi-RBI games. Last season, Hale scored or drove in xx percent of UNF’s runs. 

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11 Days of Atlantic Sun Baseball Schedule
Feb. 4 – USC Upstate
Feb. 5 – Campbell
Feb. 8 – ETSU
Feb. 9 – Mercer
Feb. 10 – UNF
Feb. 11 – Belmont
Feb. 12 – Stetson
Feb. 15 – Lipscomb
Feb. 16 – Jacksonville
Feb. 17 – Kennesaw State
Feb. 18 – FGCU