Friday, May 28, 2010

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – After surrendering a four-run lead and sitting through more than four hours of rain, Jacksonville defeated, and eliminated, its River City rival UNF, 9-8. Jimmy Howick came through with a game-ending single by to close Friday’s play at the 2010 Atlantic Sun Baseball Championship from Ken Dugan Field on the campus of Lipscomb University.

Like Alex Martinez a day earlier, Howick delivered a game-winning hit for Jacksonville (27-28) in the bottom of the ninth inning. Howick’s infield single scored Jamaal Hawkins who earlier in the frame tripled home Chuck Opachich to tie the game.

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

The contest began almost two-and-a-half hours after its scheduled start time of 3:00 p.m. CT due to rain. The Dolphins jumped out to 7-3 lead after three innings despite collecting two hits. After UNF (30-28) scored in the top of the first, the Dolphins plated two in the first inning as Jonathan Murphy led off by being hit by a pitch and Hawkins reached via error. With Murphy at third, Hawkins stole second and a throwing error by Corey Bass plated Murphy. Hawkins scored on a single by Martinez.

Justin Preckajlo tied the game at two with his team-leading 16th home run in the top of third. Jacksonville responded with five runs in its half of the inning, on only one hit. The Dolphins scored its first run after Martinez drew the third walk of the inning forcing in Murphy, who had also walked. A throwing error by T.J. Thompson resulted in two additional runs. Martinez scored on a ground out by Adam Brett Walker and Howick, who reached on the Thompson error, scored on a wild pitch.

Rain delayed the contest an additional two-plus hours in the bottom of the fourth inning. The rain cooled the Jacksonville offense, as the Dolphins would not score again until the ninth. It did spark UNF, who cut the deficit in half with home runs by Sam Perry and Preckajlo in the top of the sixth. Preckajlo became the third player at the 2010 Championship to record a multi-home run game.

The Ospreys took the lead with three runs in the eighth inning, but could not keep the Dolphins at bay for a sixth straight inning. The loss closed out the Hall of Fame career of head coach Dusty Rhodes. He retires with 1,212 victories, 909 coming while heading up the Ospreys.

Jacksonville will meet its first-day opponent, Mercer, regardless of the result of the Bears 11:00 a.m. game with ETSU, at 6:00 p.m. CT Saturday. If Mercer loses, the game will serve as an elimination game with the winner facing ETSU for the title on Sunday at Noon CT. If Mercer eliminates ETSU, the Dolphins and Bears will meet with Jacksonville needing two wins to claim back-to-back A-Sun crowns. 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.