Thursday, May 27, 2010

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Alex Martinez, the 2009 A-Sun Championship MVP, singled home Jamaal Hawkins as Jacksonville staved off elimination, topping Stetson, 3-2, in Thursday’s opening contest of the 2010 Atlantic Sun Baseball Championship at Ken Dugan Field on the campus of Lipscomb University.

A year ago, Martinez hit a go-ahead home run in the top of the ninth against Lipscomb as the Dolphins won their fourth A-Sun Championship. Thursday, he kept the Dolphins’ hopes for consecutive titles alive with a first-pitch single off the wall. Martinez entered the at bat hitless in his first six trips of the Championship.

Read the Atlantic Sun Insider Column from Jacksonville's victory HERE.

Stetson (27-31) rallied to tie the game at two in the top of the ninth off Jacksonville closer Chris Kaminski. Jeff Simpson served up a single through the left side scoring Robert Crews. Kaminski tried to save the victory for starter Matt Tomshaw. The Second-Team choice allowed one run on seven hits in 6.1 innings of work. Kaminski began his day by inducing a 5-2-3 double play with the bases loaded and Jacksonville (26-28) nursing its 2-1 lead

Hawkins had provided all the Dolphin offense prior to the ninth inning. He connected for his eighth home run of the season in the bottom of the first then added his ninth three innings later, becoming the second player this week to record a multi-homer game (Preston Hale against ETSU on Wednesday).

Lindsey Caughel pitched into the ninth inning for Stetson, but took the loss, his seventh in 12 decisions. He allowed the three runs on five hits in 8.1 innings of work. He struck out nine and did not walk a batter. Kaminski improved to 5-5.

The Dolphins will face either the loser of Mercer and ETSU or, if UNF beats FGCU, the Ospreys at 3:00 p.m. CT on Friday. The Hatters see their season end with their first 0-2 performance at the A-Sun Championship since 2001. All the action will be broadcast, free of charge, on ASun.TV.

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The Atlantic Sun Conference is an 11-member league committed to Building Winners for Life. The A-Sun stands for achievement with integrity in both the academic and athletic arenas, with a focus on the balance between the two for our student-athletes. Headquartered in Macon, Ga., the A-Sun boasts six of the top eight media markets in the Southeast. The A-Sun includes a blend of the most prestigious and dynamic private and public institutions in the region: Belmont University, Campbell University, East Tennessee State University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Jacksonville University, Kennesaw State University, Lipscomb University, Mercer University, University of North Florida, University of South Carolina Upstate and Stetson University.